546 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Grass lands of the south Alaska coast, C. V. Piper (U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. 

 Plant Indus. Bui. 82, pp. 38, ph. 4)-— This bulletin has been partly noted from a con- 

 densed report on the same subject (E. S. R., 17, p. 349). In addition to the matter 

 previously published the population, markets, transportation, climate, garden prod- 

 ucts, and fuel supply are discussed, and land laws applying to Alaska are given. 



Contribution to the knowledge of Argentinian grasses, T. Stuckert (An. 

 Mus. Nac. Buenos Aires, 3. ser.,4 {1905), pp. 43-161).— Descriptions are given of 179 

 species and varieties of grasses. 



The seeds of the blue grasses, E. Brown and F. H. Hillman ( U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Bur. Plant Indus. Bui. 84, pp. 38, Jigs. 35). — This bulletin treats of the production 

 and handling of blue grass seed, and gives descriptions and illustrations of these 

 seeds and their impurities. 



The germination.) growing, handling, and adulteration of blue gi-ass seeds, E. Broun 

 (pp. 9-14). — Commercial and hand-gathered seeds are described and the grades and 

 quality of commercial seeds discussed. It is stated that the more careful dealers in 

 Kentucky blue grass seed maintain a purity standard of from 80 to 90 per cent in the 

 so-called "fancy" grade, which is based on the relative cleanness and on the bright 

 appearance of the seed, and that the grade known as "extra-clean" or "extra- 

 cleaned" consists of the cleanings from the fancy seed, the samples as offered usually 

 containing less than 10 per cent of seed of light weight. The rougher uncleaned 

 seed as passed through a feed cutter contains from 60 to 70 per cent of pure seed. 



That the unadulterated fancy grade is usually of good quality is demonstrated by 

 the fact that the 2,887 samples tested by the Zurich Seed Control Station from 1876 

 to 1903 gave an average purity of 86.3 per cent. Sixty-nine samples tested in the 

 Seed Laboratory of this Department during the past year showed an average purity 

 of 75.02 per cent. 



Samples of Kentucky blue grass seed sent to the Seed Laboratory have contained 

 from 30 to 50 per cent of Canada blue grass seed, which is the only kind used as an 

 adulterant of Kentucky blue grass in this country. A sample of wood meadow 

 grass (Poa nemoralis), which is sometimes adulterated with other species of Poa, 

 contained 59.4 per cent of P. pratensis and 23 per cent of P. compressa. It is pointed 

 out that the standard weight of a bushel of blue grass seed of any grade is 14 lbs., but 

 that the actual weight varies from 6 to 8 lbs. for the extra clean to 27 lbs. or more 

 for especially good samples of fancy recleaned seed. 



Reports from the Zurich Seed Control Station show that the average germination 

 of 3,069 samples of Kentucky blue grass seed tested from 1876 to 1904 was 65 per 

 cent, while 908 samples of Poa trivialis showed an average of 72 per cent. As care- 

 fully cured seed will germinate from 80 to 90 per cent, the low percentage of germ- 

 ination in the commercial seed is considered due to the heating of freshly stripped 

 seed thrown together in piles. Notes on the growing and handling of 9 different 

 species of blue grasses are given. 



Descriptions of the seeds of the commercial blue grasses and their impurities, F. H. 

 Hillman (pp. 15-38, figs. 35). — This part of the bulletin furnishes the necessary 

 information for enabling seedsmen and others to distinguish the different species. 

 A comparison of the principal distinguishing characters of blue grass seeds is given 

 in a table. Keys to the seeds of the more common species of Poa as found on her- 

 barium specimens, and of commercial blue grass seeds after preparation for market, 

 are outlined. 



Yellow oat grass, D. Finlayson {Aynsome Agr. Sta., Seed-Testing Lab. Farmers' 

 Bui. 7, pp. 3, figs. 5). — A brief description of yellow oat grass is given, with notes on 

 the purity, germination, and weight of the seed. Directions and illustrations are 

 given for the determination of wavy hair grass, one of the common impurities. 



Tall oat grass, D. Finlayson {Aynsome Agr. Sta., Seed-Testing Lab. Farmers' Bui. 

 8, pp. 3, figs- 7). — The habits and value of tall oat grass are described and the purity, 



