CRESTED DOGSTAIL.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume V, Issue 1, 15 July 1912, Page 16

CRESTED DOGSTAIL.

A. H. Cockayne.

During the past season 43 -samples of dressed crested dogstail (Cynosurus cristatus) have been tested for germination and 39 samples, for purity. \ The 1912 crop of crested 'dogstail' has been the largest on record, and that from the Manawatu district has been - estimated... at over 200 tons of dressed seed. The season has not been a good one for harvesting grass-seed, owing to the. large amount of broken weather, but this does not appear to have had any effect on the quality of the dogstail-seed. The colour is not as bright, as is usual in the case of New Zealand seed, but this characteristic does not appear to be of much value in determining .the capability of germination. Lightcoloured samples were in the main of lighter bushel weight than thedarker coloured ones, and their germination energy was weaker. Theultimate germination capacity of both light and dark seed was very high when compared with European standards. The bright-coloured, seed was evidently harvested before it was fully matured, and this, accounts for the bushel weight being lower than was the case in the darker-coloured ones. The ' bushel weight has varied between 33 lb.. and 38 lb.

Germination

The germination of the 43 samples tested has varied between 81 and 100 per cent., while the average was 93-5 per cent. 3 samples germinated 100 per cent. ; 10 samples germinated between 96 and 99 per cent. ; 15 samples germinated between 93 and 95 per cent. 9 samples germinated between 90 and 92 per cent. ; 4 samples germinated between 87 and 89 per cent. ; 2 samples. germinated between 81 and 86 per cent. The mean average of . 93-5 per cent, is extremely high, the average for. European seed being not more than 83 per cent..

Purity.

All the 39 samples analysed yielded less than 1 per cent... by numbers of extraneous seeds. The samples, with the exception of two were from the Manawatu district. The impurities noted and their relative frequency were as follows :

1. Suckling clover (Trifolium minus) occurred, in 35 of the samples

2. Catsear (Hypochaeris radicata) occurred in 33 of the samples.

3. Shelled fog (Holcus lanatus) occurred in 30 of the samples. 4. Catchfly (Silene gallica) occurred in 27 of the samples. 5. Sweet vernal (Anthoxanthum odoratum\ occurred in 26 of the samples. 6. Hair-grass (Festuca bromoides) occurred in 20 of the samples. 7. Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) occurred in 20 of the samples. 8. Perennial rye-grass (Lolium perenne) occurred in 20 of the samples. 9. Prickly sowthistle (Sonchus asper) occurred in 18 of the samples. 10. Australian linseed (Linum marginale) occurred in 15 of the samples. 11. English hair-grass (Aira praecox) occurred in 14 of the samples. 12. Mousear chickweed (Cerastium vulgatum) occurred in 13 of the samples. 13. Hawkweed (Crepis capillaris) occurred in 10 of the samples. 14. Scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) occurred in 7 of the samples. 15. Rib-grass (Plantago lanceolata) occurred in 7 of the samples. 16. Sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus) occurred in 4 of the samples. 17. Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) occurred in 4 of the samples. 18. Toad-rush (Juncus bufonius) occurred in 4 of the samples. 19. Hawkbit (Leontodon hispidus) occurred in 3 of the samples. 20. Short hair-grass (Aira caespitosa) occurred in 2 of the samples. 21. White clover (Trifolium repens) occurred in 2 of the samples. 22. Buttercup (Ranunculus parviflorus) occurred in 2 of the samples. 23. Timothy (Phleum pratense) occurred in 1 of the samples. - 24. Italian rye-grass (Lolium italicum) occurred in 1 of the samples. 25. Kentucky blue-grass (Poa pratensis) occurred in 1 of the samples. 26. Alsyke (Trifolium hybridum) occurred in 1 of the samples. 27. Hop-trefoil (Trifolium procumbens) occurred in 1 of the samples. 28. Californian thistle (Gnicus arvensis) occurred in 1 of the samples. 29. Mousear chickweed (Cerastium viscosum) occurred in 1 of the

samples

30. Dock (Rumex crispus) occurred in 1 of the samples. 31. Cranesbill (Geranium dissectum) occurred in 1 of the samples. 32. Oxeye daisy . (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) occurred in 1 of the samples. 33. Sand clover (Anthyllis vulneraria) occurred in 1 of the samples. 34. Nipplewort (Lapsana communis) occurred in 1 of the samples. 35. heal (Prunella vulgaris) occurred in 1 of the samples.

The last six impurities were all present in the same sample, and the absence of certain of the impurities characteristic of Manawatu seed indicates that it was of foreign origin. The Californian thistle noted in one sample was quite immature' and incapable of germination. Ergot (Claviceps purpurea) was present in a small percentage of the samples examined. ' ,

3OBG

Two of the seeds almost invariably present in New Zealand crested dogstail are suckling clover and shelled Yorkshire fog. Both these impurities are of commercial value, and are recleaned by seed-dressers, and an allowance, sometimes covering the whole cost of cleaning, is made for them. These seeds, which are not saleable in New Zealand, find a ready market in Europe at a price that amply repays for their dressing. Suckling clover is sometimes sown in other countries, and, being often of a beautiful golden hue, is frequently used to adulterate poor and dark-coloured lines of white clover, while Yorkshire fog is regularly sown as a pasture-grass, especially in wet sour soils.

From the above it can be seen that certain seeds appear with great frequency in New Zealand dogstail, and are therefore indicative of its local origin. Stebler has designated those impurities which indicate the origin of seed “ source-indicators.” Other impurities, not so reliable, but which are frequently found in seed from certain localities and are also found elsewhere, he terms “ companion seeds.”

I look upon Australian linseed (Linum marginale) as a sourceindicator for New Zealand dogstail. It ■ occurs only in New Zealand and Australia, and, as no crested-dogstail seed is produced in Australia, the presence of Australian linseed must be an infallible indication of the local origin of dogstail-seed. I also consider that shelled Yorkshire fog, suckling clover,' catsear, catchfly, sweet vernal, and hair-grass can be looked upon as companion seeds as far as Manawatu dogstail is concerned. A small amount of dogstail is also grown in the South Island, notably in the vicinity of Gore, but sufficient samples from that locality have not yet been examined to enable me to determine whether there are any reliable source-indicators for southern seed.

In less than two years the number of institutions reporting students in agriculture in the United States has almost trebled. From a total of 864 in such institutions in 1910 the number has now increased to 2,546, an increase at an average rate of 76 institutions a month. Schools teaching elementary agriculture are not included in this list.