New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 177 



however, adulteration may have occurred in some cases. A num- 

 ber of specimens of this plant have been received for identification 

 during the past season which would indicate that it is quite gen- 

 erally prevalent in alfalfa and clover fields. This plant is of little 

 value except as a pasture plant, and when it is found in alsike or 

 red clover seed it is treated as a weed inasmuch as it ripens early 

 and is hard and woody when clovers are ready to cut. 



COMMENTS ON THE SEED SAMPLES. 



Alfalfa. — A large percentage of the alfalfa samples were of 

 good to excellent quality, both as regards general appearance and 

 purity; but some were below average and a few samples were 

 notoriously poor, being badly contaminated with weed seed and 

 also containing much dead, brown, shriveled and immature seed 

 which would make them expensive at any price. The presence 

 of Centaur ea repens in 38 of the samples would tend to indicate 

 that the seed was imported. While imported and Turkestan 

 seed has given good results in some cases in this State, it is con- 

 sidered advisable to secure the common variety. 



Red clover. — Results of examination of the 169 samples of red 

 clover show that it still maintains its bad reputation as regards 

 weed impurities. The number and amount of impurities is 

 greater than reported last year, and the number of dodder-infested 

 samples was decidedly higher. 



Timothy. — The quality of the 148 samples of timothy was 

 found to be good to excellent in most cases, but occasionally a 

 sample would be received in which a large number of weed seeds 

 occurred, often swelling the long list of impurities. The prin- 

 cipal impurities were Canada thistle, dock, plantain, sheep sorrel, 

 and oxeye daisy. 



Alsike clover. — The 94 samples of alsike clover showed a con- 

 siderable number of impurities ; however, the greater percentage 

 of the samples were marked average to good. A few samples con- 

 tained considerable seed of Canada thistle, dock, plantain, catch- 

 fly, sheep sorrel, yellow trefoil and white clover. Timothy was 

 12 



