382 



Missouri Agricultural Report. 



Koiilucky bluegrass seed should be comparatively free from chaff, 

 but the methods of cleaning in use leave from 

 of chaff with the pure seed. Some 



10 to 20 per cent or more 



samples show the purity ranging 

 from 80 to 85 per cent, but most 

 tests range from 70 to 80 per cent, 

 and many fall much lower. The 

 viability ranges from 80 to 90 per 

 cent in the best samples, but most 

 tests range from 65 to 80 per cent 

 and many fall lower. The method 

 of making the purity test given 

 here tends to give higher purity 

 and lower viability than more care- 

 fully made official tests. The most 

 of the sprouts appear within nine 

 or ten days, others appearing from 

 time to time until the twenty- 

 eighth day. Only a very light covering, if any, should be placed over the 

 seeds. It is better that they remain uncovered on the cloth or paper if 

 the inverted dish keeps the air about the seeds moist. 



The noxious weed seeds found in Kentucky bluegrass seed include: (Fig. 

 I/) dock (f), small-fruited false flax (q) ; (fig. i8) corn gromwell (k), rat-tail 

 plantain (1), buckhorn (m), also Canada thistle (r) when mixed with Canada 

 bluegrass. 



Other weed seeds found in Kentucky bluegrass seed include: (Fig. 19) 

 sedge (g), sorrel (h), lamb's-quarters (1), mouse-ear chickweed (s) ; (fig. 20) 

 peppergrass (b), shepherd's purse (c), cinquefoil (d); (fig. 21) dog fennel 

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



Fig. 29. — Seeds of redtop represent- 

 ing the "fancy" (or "solid") grade 

 of the trade : a, Different views of 

 seeds having the white, papery, 

 inner cliaff ; b, two views of a 

 grain, or kernel, with the inner 

 chaff removed ; o, the same, nat- 

 ural size. 



TESTING REDTOP SEED. 



In testing redtop seed it should be borne in mind that three grades 

 of this seed are offered in the trade under the names (1) "recleaned" or 

 "solid" seed, (2) "unhulled," and (3) "chaff" seed. The application 

 of these terms becomes evident when the structure of the seed is consid- 

 ered. The recleaned or solid seed consists (fig. 29) of a mixture of free 

 grains (b) and grains covered by the silvery, papery inner chaff (a). 

 This is the best matured, purest and heaviest of the grades of redtop. 

 The unhulled grade consists chiefly of seed inclosed in the outer chaff 

 (fig. 30, a). This seed is generally more immature than the first grade. 

 It also is lighter and lower in purity than the other. Chaff redtop is a 

 very variable grade, consisting largely or almost entirely of empty chaff 



