956 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



concentrated feeding stuffs, culture experiments with summer wheat, 

 and an inoculation experiment with Nitragin. 



The results of G01 tests of seeds to determine their purity, germi- 

 native ability, authenticity, and origin are tabulated. As shown in 

 the previous reports, seeds of leguminous forage plants were largely in 

 the majority of all seed tested. Except in the case of red clover seed, 

 64.r> per cent of the samples of which contained dodder seed, nearly all 

 were free from that parasite. The investigations as to the origin of the 

 clover seed showed a considerable mixture of seed from different 

 countries. 



The investigations with Nitragin were made with a mixture of crim- 

 son clover and hairy vetch on light sandy soils. Both the seed and 

 soil methods of inoculation were employed and comparisons made 

 with check plats. The plants Avere cut September 28, and the air-dried 

 fodder from the inoculated plats exceeded that of the checks by 57 per 

 cent, the 2 methods giviug the same results. The author investigated 

 the possibility of natural soil infection by sowing a mixture of 20 spe- 

 cies of leguminous seed on marsh soil and examined the roots for 

 tubercle formation. Of these the yellow clover and soy bean were 

 without tubercles, the melilotus, esparcet, and kidney vetch contained 

 a few, and red clover, white clover, alsike, the different lupines, serra- 

 della, peas, and beans were well inoculated. 



Analyses of grass and clover seeds, W. Carruthers {Jour. 

 Roy. Agr. Soc. England, 3. ser., 8 (1897), pt. IV, pp. 742-74-1).— A brief 

 statement is given of the testing of grass and clover seeds during the 

 year. A growing improvement in the purity of seeds is very noticeable. 

 The average purity and germination of a number of grass and clover 

 seeds is given. Of the samples of clover seed examined 10 per cent 

 contained dodder. Samples of alsike clover were free from dodder but 

 frequently contained other mixtures. A brief report is made on grass 

 mixtures, some of which are said to have been of very low grade. Sev- 

 eral samples of hay were botanically analyzed and one is reported upon 

 which contained altogether 13 per cent of undesirable weeds. This 

 sample was of such a nature that cows refused to eat it unless salted 

 or chopped and mixed with meal. 



Determination of -weeds, W. Carruthers (Jour. Hoy. Agr. Soc. 

 England, 3. ser., 8 (1S<)7), pt. IV, pp. 738-712, figs. 5). — Notes are given 

 on the occurrence of the following weeds: Enchanter's nightshade, 

 mouse-ear chick weed, winter cress, bitter cress, hedge mustard, wild 

 radish, 2 species of clover, parsley piert, wild camomile, pepper saxi- 

 frage (Silaus prattnsis), hawkweed, woolly cudweed, Pyrethrum inodo- 

 rum, comfrey, ground ivy, saffron, Polygon ton Mstorta, and crow or 

 wild garlic. 



Notes are given on the injurious qualities of some of these plants 

 when eaten by stock. Enchanter's nightshade is reported as being 

 poisonous, but an examination of the stomach of a cow which was 



