Lawns and Croquet Grounds 



56- 



Holcus lanatus were there, only they appeared 

 in a less easily recognised, or what may be 

 termed a naked or clean form. 



The crested dogs-tail grass (Cynosurus 

 cristatus) is well known as one of the best of 

 the flat-leaved grasses for fine lawns, and it is 

 consequently universally recommended in 

 mixtures of seeds for sowing down lawns. 

 These are among the heaviest of grass seeds, 

 weighing on an average about 26 lb. per 

 bushel ; and in retail seed lists for the pre- 

 sent season, they are quoted at from is. to 

 IS. 6d. per lb., whereas the chaffy seeds of 

 Holcus lanatus weigh only about 7 lb. 

 per bushel, and their price varies between 

 3d. and 4d. per lb. Further, the seeds of C. 

 cristatus, which are terminated by a hard 

 finely-beaked point, which appears toothed or 

 serrated under a high magnifying power, may 

 be compared to barley, in leaving their glumes 

 or outer chaff" adhering to the straw when 

 thrashed, and in having their paleae or inner 

 chaff covering firmly adhesive. The seeds 

 of H. lanatus, as they usually appear, are 

 loosely enveloped by the glumes, as well as 

 encased in their smooth thinnish paleae, just 

 like oats with their outer loose chaff attached; 

 which they further resemble in having two 

 seeds or grains within each glume, the latter, 

 however, being much larger in proportion to 

 the seeds than that of an oat spikelet. The 

 terminal or smaller of the two grains, which is 

 more slender in form than the other, has a 

 short recurved awn at its point ; while the 

 under grain is entirely una\vned, and when 

 fully ripe its paleae is so fragile and thin that 

 its point, and more or less of its other parts, 

 frequently get rubbed off, and the kernel then 

 presents a blunted form, with a clear light, 

 coppery-yellow, transparent-like colouring. 

 Thus far it will be seen that the difference is 

 very marked, the seeds of the first being com- 

 pact and heavy, while those of the last are 

 chaffy and light; but here the fraud, or if 

 a more mild term must be used, the doctor- 

 ing begins. When fully ripe, the seed of the 

 H. lanatus is easily separated from the outer 

 chaff by thrashing or rubbing, and then to the 

 unassisted, or more correctly the unaccus- 

 tomed, eyes, they resemble one of C. cristatus 



so much as not to be easily detected, and 

 although some little weight may be lost by 

 the dispersion of the chaff, yet the difference 

 in original value, as before stated, is suffi- 

 ciently great to leave a good profit as the 

 reward for skilful manipulation. 



For the purposes of more fully illustrating 

 our present remarks, we have been enabled 

 to produce the accompanying engravings 

 from microscopic photographs, kindly pre- 

 pared for us by Mr James Bryson, optician, 

 Edinburgh. The first of these represents the 

 seeds of C. cristatus ; the second, those of 

 H. lanatus, in their natural state ; and third, 

 the same when in their " prepared " state ; all 

 being equally magnified. By the first it will be 

 seen that the seeds of C. cristatus bear a con- 

 siderable resemblance to light barley, and 

 under a higher magnifying power their short 

 terminal awns, as before mentioned, appear 

 beautifully teethed, or roughed with short 

 delicate spikes ; whereas, the prepared seeds 

 of H. lanatus, in addition to being remark- 

 ably smooth and- lustrous, are, in general, 

 thicker swollen in their centres, and more 

 blunt-pointed than those of C. cristatus, 

 while they are also of a lighter and brighter 

 transparent-like colour, so that they aid in 

 imparting or improving that coveted appear- 

 ance, which obtains the name of "golden- 

 crested-dogstail seed," which is esteemed from 

 its being deemed indicative of careful and 

 successful dry harvesting. The third illustra- 

 tration further shews the three phases pre- 

 sented by the prepared seeds of H. lanatus — 

 viz., the two attached, and both, as they ap- 

 pear when separated : the recurved short 

 awn, which occasionally becomes broken 

 or rubbed off in the preparation, being 

 present on the upper, and the lower ones 

 are distinguished by its thicker and 

 blunter form. The last is the most prevalent 

 in adulterated mixtures, the others being 

 light, and consequently more liable to be 

 blown out in cleaning ; but all present them- 

 selves in greater or less proportions; and the 

 appearance of any is sufficient evidence of 

 doctored seed. 



We must be allowed to disclaim all inten- 

 tion of insinuating that seed merchants, 



