380 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



The seed of chess (fig. 11, d) lias been used as an adulterant of 

 meadow fescue seed. The chess seeds are larger, usually cylindrically 

 folded, and sometimes have a short awn at the apex. The rachilla seg- 

 ment is curved and club shaped. 



Meadow fescue seed usually is comparatively free from meadow 

 fescue chaff, but very poor seed may contain chaff of orchard grass or 

 worthless orchard grass seed. The purity should, reach 99 per cent, the 

 viability 95 to 98 per cent. 



The noxious weed seeds found in meadow feseue seed include: (Fig. i/) 

 chess (c), quack-grass (e), dock (f), 1)hidder campion (k), iield peppergrass 

 (o), small-fruited false flax (q), English charlock (t) ; and buckhorn (fig. i8, 

 m). 



Other weed seeds found in meadow fescue seed include: (Fig. 19) crab- 

 grass (a), witch-grass (b), yellow foxtail, (c), green foxtail (d), velvet grass 

 (e), soft chess (f), sedge (g), sorrel (h), lady's-thumb (k), lamb's quarters 

 (1), wild spurry (p); (fig. 20) creeping buttercup (a), peppergrass (b), yellow 

 trefoil (f), forget-me-not (q) ; (fig. 21) bracted plantain (e), field madder, (g), 

 cat's-ear (q), hawkweed (t). 



TESTING TIMOTHY SEED. 



Timothy seed is, as a rule, very pure and not subject to adulteration 

 other than by the use of old seed. Tests of this seed are easily made. 



After thorough mixing, a quantity of seed equaling the weight of 

 61/4 BB shot, at least, should be taken for the test sample. Timothy 

 seed is readily identified (fig. 28). It appears both in the chaff (a) and 

 as free grains (b). Seed in the chaff should have a silvery- white ap- 

 pearance. Free grains are slightly darker and dull. If they are brown a 

 damaged condition is suggested. The purity should l)e 99 per cent or 

 higher; the viability 98 or 99 per cent. The germination test requires 

 five or six days. In addition to the weed seeds found in timothy, some 

 lots contain Kentucky bluegrass seed and Canada bluegrass seed (fig. 9) 

 and alsike clover seed (fig. 24). 



The noxious weed seeds found in timothy include: (hig. 17) dock (,f), 

 bladder campion (k), night-flowering catchfly (1), small fruited false flax (q) ; 

 (fig. 18) rat-tail plantain (1), buckhorn (m), Canada thistle (r). European 

 timothy seed is said to sometimes contain clover dodder (fig. 18, g), probably 

 due to its being grown with dodder-infested clover. This dodder does not 

 occur in American or Canadian timothy seed. The most serious impurity is 

 Canada thistle seed found in Canadian-grown timothy. 



Other weed seeds occurring in timothy seed include: (Fig. 19) witch-grass 

 (b), yellow foxtail (c), green foxtail (d), sedge (g), sorrel (h), lady's-thumb 

 (k), lamb's-quartcrs (1), mouse-ear chickweed (s); (fig. 20) peppergrass (b), 

 shepherd's ])urse (c), cin(|ucfi>il (d), yellow trefoil (f), evening primrose (n); 

 (hg. 21) catmint (a), sui;i]ler broriil-leaved plantain (d), dog fennel (m). field 

 camomile (n). 



