178 Report of the Department ok Botany of the 



found in varying amounts in 88 per ct. of the samples, and, in 

 some cases, in considerable quantity. While timothy is not espe- 

 cially objectionable in alsike, few farmers care to pay alsike 

 prices for timothy seed. 



Alsike and timothy mixtures. — An examination of the 17 

 samples of this mixture revealed a surprising condition as regards 

 both quality and purity. Every sample was graded as poor to 

 very poor, due to the seed being poorly colored, shriveled and of 

 light weight, and very badly contaminated with weed seed and 

 inert matter. Several of the samples were found to contain 

 approximately 63 per ct. of timothy seed, 25 per ct. poor-quality 

 alsike clover seed, and 12 per ct. weed seeds and inert matter. 

 Farmers should be warned against such mixtures, as it has been 

 found more satisfactory to buy the pure seed and then mix them 

 upon the farm when mixtures are desired. 



Redtop. — The quality of the 14 samples of redtop was gen- 

 erally good, most of the seed being recleaned and of good weight. 

 Very few impurities were present. 



Hairy vetch. — With the increasing demand made by fruit 

 growers for this legume as a cover crop comes the tendency of 

 some dealers to adulterate the seed with that of common or spring 

 vetch. Our examinations revealed the fact that 12 of the 14 

 samples contained the seed of spring vetch — in one case to the 

 extent of 25 per ct., and in another sample to the extent of 20 

 per ct. This fact supplemented by the experience of orchardists 

 of this State with the adulteration of this crop seed calls for a 

 note of warning to prospective buyers.* 



White clover. — With the exception of the presence of sheep 

 sorrel, lamb's quarters and plantain seed, the 12 samples of white 

 clover were comparatively free from many impurities. The seed 

 in several of the samples was badly shrunken and shriveled so 

 that all of the samples were necessarily marked average to poor 

 in quality. 



* For a complete description of this important cover crop and annual winter 

 legume, and its seed adulterants, the reader is referred to U. S. Dept. Agr. Farmers' 

 Bulletin No. 515, by C. V. Piper, Roland McKee and F. H. Hillman, 



