262 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



on good authority that this hybrid is exceedingly rare. It is difficult 

 to make, even under controlled conditions, and it therefore seems 

 unlikely that it would give rise to trouble in California. There is, 

 however, a very serious objection to the use of Sudan grass, namely, 

 the difficulty of distinguishing its seed from that of Johnson grass. 

 There is apparently no method whereby the two may be separated 

 in a mixture, and it also seems impossible for seed experts to dis- 

 tinguish between the two with absolute certainty. Because of these 

 facts much Sudan grass seed contains Johnson grass seed as an 

 impurity, and, so far as I know, nothing can be done to compel the 

 seedsmen to supply pure seed." 



IT. H. Bowman, County Horticultural Commissioner of Placer 

 County: ''I believe Sudan grass to be dangerous, for the reason 

 that Johnson grass could so easily be introduced by it being 

 planted. ' ' 



F. W. Waite, County Horticultural Commissioner of Imperial 

 County: "I wish to call attention to the fact that Sudan grass 

 resembles Johnson grass in all ways excepting root system, and as 

 it lielongs to the same family as our Milo it is a question whether it 

 will be advantageous enough to overcome the risk of Johnson grass 

 being introduced. The seed looks the same and will require expert 

 examination to prove that Sudan grass seed is not Johnson grass 

 seed. With all the other sorghums and alfalfa doing so well in the 

 valley, and Avith plenty of water, it is a question if Sudan be 

 needed." 



Ronald McKee, Plant Introduction Experiment Station, Chico, 

 Cal. : "Regarding the probable danger of disseminating Johnson 

 grass with the seed of Sudan grass : There is danger of this in the 

 case of seed of Sudan grass that has been grown in Johnson grass 

 infested areas. Not only is there danger from the direct mixing 

 of the seed from Johnson grass plants, but there is also danger from 

 crossing in cases where Johnson grass grows in close proximity to 

 Sudan. 



Pure seed of Sudan grown in latitudes free from Johnson grass 

 is entirely safe, and I think the thing for California growers to do 

 is to insist on their seed coming from such districts. In our dis- 

 tribution of this seed in this State and Arizona, we have used seed 

 grown in Ohio. California grown seed has at least the possibility 

 of being mixed with Johnson grass, especially in the case of careless 

 growers, in Johnson grass areas. However, there is no danger of 

 intentional mixing of Johnson grass seed with Sudan, as the latter 

 can be produced much cheaper than the Johnson grass seed." 



