106 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the sun, and then when the grain is cut it is exposed in its weakened 

 state to its fiercest summer glare, at a period when it is more ex- 

 posed to drought than at any other season of the year. This perfect 

 coincidence between the teachings of science and the results of prac- 

 tical experience, fully justify me in the opinion I have just given, 

 that grass seeds in most cases should be sown by themselves. 

 Another cause of the failure of grass seeds to germinate, is the 

 damaged condition in which they are received from the seedsman. 

 It must be borne in mind that different species of grass vary great- 

 ly in their ability to form good seed, a large proportion of the 

 most carefully secured crops proving abortive ; thus, orchard grass 

 is very apt to prove defective, perennial red clover has frequently 

 abortive seeds, and the seed of the meadow fox-tail is, as a general 

 rule, so bad that only one seed out of three will germinate. To 

 guard against these unavoidable defects, as well as against the 

 impositions sometimes practiced by unprincipled seedmen, they 

 should be thoroughly tested before purchasing, in the following 

 manner, for which I am indebted to Mr. Flint's valuable Work 

 on Grasses, (p. 142.) "Take two pieces of thick cloth, moisten 

 them with water, and place them one upon the other at the bottom 

 of a saucer ; place any number of seeds which it is designed to 

 try upon the cloth, spreading so thin as not to allow them to cover 

 or touch each other. Cover them over with a third piece of cloth, 

 similar to the other, and moisten in the same manner. Then place 

 the saucer in a moderately warm place. Sufficient water must be 

 turned on from time to time to keep the three thicknesses of cloth 

 moist ; but great care must be taken not to use too much water, 

 as this would destroy the seed. There should be only enough to 

 moisten the cloths, and not enough to stand in the saucer. Dan- 

 ger from this source ma}' be avoided in a great measure by tipping 

 the saucer so as to permit any superfluous water in it to drain off. 

 The cloth used for covering may be gently raised each day to 

 watch the progress of the swelling or the moulding of the seed. 

 The good seed will be found to swell gradual!}', while the old or 

 poor seed which has lost its germinating power, will become 

 mouldy in a very few days. In this way, also, any one can judge 

 whether old is mixed with new seed, since the latter germinates 

 much more quickly than the former. He can judge besides of the 

 quantity he must sow, since he can tell whether one-half or three- 

 fourths, or the whole, will be likely to germinate, and regulate 

 his sowing accordingly. The seeds of clover, if new and fresh, 



