VIABLE BERMUDA GRASS SEED PRODUCED m 

 THE LOCALITY OF RALEIGH, N. C. 



By O. I. Tillman. 



Cynodon Dadylon (L.) Pers. (Capriola Ktze.) Bermuda 

 grass, also known as Wire grass, Bahama grass, Indian couch 

 grass, Scotch grass, and Dog's-tooth grass, is of great economic 

 value throughout the Southern states and is also a noxious pest 

 in certain instances as the very qualities which make it valuable 

 also render it objectionable. It is supposed that this grass will 

 not develop germinable seed in the United States except in the 

 arid Southwest, but it was found that in the vicinity of Raleigh, 

 N. C, this grass produced such seed. 



September 8, 1910, flowering stalks were gathered from a 

 grass plot along the city streets. The glumes were stript from 

 these and it was found that 76 per cent, were empty and that 

 there were 24 per cent of pure seed which germinated 82 per 

 cent. Another sample was collected October 11, 1910, along 

 the roadside, a few miles from Raleigh, which was found to 

 produce 4 per cent pure seed, which germinated 60 per cent. 

 The seeds of both samples were kept until June of the following 

 spring before being tested. The tests were made in a standard 

 germinating chamber at an alternating temperature of 20-35 

 degrees C. The seeds were placed on top of moist blotting pa- 

 per. The sprouts were strong and some were grown in the lab- 

 oratory into good-sized plantlets. 



Two samples of Bermuda grass seed from the trade, retailing 

 at $1.25 per pound, were tested under the same conditions as 

 the locally grown seed and germinated 27 per cent, and 17 per 

 cent, respectively. This is a striking comparison of the superior 

 germinating value of the locally produced seed and that of the 

 trade, at least in this instance. 



Since it has been found that Bermuda grass produces seed of 

 so high a germination in a locality where it was not supposed 

 to produce seed, it might be well if this fact were given consid- 

 eration both in the cultivation and eradication of the grass. 



State Department of Agriculture, Raleigh, N. C. 



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