SEEDS WEEDS. 251 



crop .spra3'ed was notod. In one series of experiments the plant 

 proved to be the "smooth-leaved charlock," and upon this the solutions 

 seemed to have no efl'ect. 



Eradication of moss in pastures {Jour. Bd. Ayr. [London], 7 

 (1900), 3y>. 1, pp. 39,Jf.O). — An account is given of a number of exper- 

 iments for the eradication of moss in pasture lands. None of the 

 usual reasons assigned for the presence of moss, such as sourness of 

 soil, deficient aeration, or great povert}' of the soil were present, the 

 experiments being conducted on light loamy soils which rested on 

 chalk. Chemical and mechanical means were investigated. The 

 chemicals used were sulphuric acid, lime, superphosphate, basic slag, 

 salt, and iron sulphate. The mechanical methods tested were lift- 

 ing the turf, rolling, and raking. The chemical treatment seemed to 

 have little or no effect, while of the mechanical processes rolling was 

 most effective. 



The farmer's interest in good seed, A.J. Pieters {U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' 

 Bui. Ill, pp. 24, figs. 7) . — A popular bulletin on the value of seed testing, in which the 

 relationship between quality of seed and amount sown, methods of seed testing, etc., 

 are described. The results of tests with a number of samples of red clover, redtop, 

 Kentucky blue grass, timothy, orchard grass, smooth brome grass, and crimson clover 

 are given, in which the market price and actual value of seed are shown. In many 

 instances the actual value of the seed, as shown by tests, was decidedly less than the 

 market price paid. 



Red clover seed, A. J. Pieters ( U. S. Dept. Agr., Division of Botany Circ. 24, pp. 5, 

 figs. 2). — Red clover seed is described, together with a number of its more common 

 adulterants and impurities. The value of testing seed is pointed out and in general 

 it is found that high-grade medium-priced samples are in reality the cheapest. 



The seed of smooth brome grass, A. J. Pieters {U.S. Dept. Agr., Division of 

 Botany Circ. 23, pjp. 3, fig. 1) . — The rapid introduction of this grass in the arid and 

 semi-arid regions of this country has led to many inquiries concerning it, and the 

 author describes popularly the seed and some of the impurities associated with it. 

 Directions are given for sampling and testing brome-grass seed, and the offer is made 

 by the Department to test such seed for those desiring it. 



Resistance of seeds to heat, Schribaux et al. {Messager Agr., 5. ser., 1 {1900), 

 No. 6, pp. 227, 228) . — All cereals except maize are said to readily withstand temper- 

 atures of 100° C. for short periods. Wheat heated for 1 hour to 105° C. germinated 

 97 per cent; 11.5°, 95 percent; 11<)°, 93 percent; 120°, 56 per cent; and 125°, 4 percent. 



The resistance of seeds to high temperatures, V. Roger {Messager Agr., 5. ser., 

 1 {1900), No. 5, pp. 191, 192).— Peas and cress heated to 60° C. for 24 hours and then 

 to 98° for 10 hours gave 30 and 60 per cent germinations, respectively. Heated 

 directly to 98° all were killed. Cress seed germinated after 800 hours in a thermo- 

 stat at 65° C. Peas and cress in sealed tubes with quicklime retained their power 

 of germination after an exposure of 206 days at 40° C. 



Method for determining the relative value of beet seed, G. Linhart {Kiserlet. 

 Kosleut., 3 {1900), No. ;?, pp. 136-139). 



Annual report of Danish seed control station, 1896-97, O. Rostrup ( Tidsskr. 

 Laridhr. Plaiiteurl, 5 {1899), pp. 1-38). — The report gives the usual account of the 

 results of seed analyses made during the year, with summary tables for the years 

 1887-1897, inclusive, and such other discussions as the work during the year has sug- 

 gested. There were received for examination during 1896-97 1,762 seed samples, 



