CULTURE OF GRASSES 4 1 



seed. Chaff with no seed inside is soft and collapses 

 when pressed with a needle. Some of the common grass 

 seeds are shown in figure 2. 



Seed not infrequently is adulterated with various 

 things, especially with old seed. The mixture looks all 

 right but will not grow well. 



It is to be recommended that every grower also test 

 the germinating power (viability) of the seed he is going 

 to use. This is a simple process and well repays the 

 small amount of trouble required. He can then know 

 what results he may expect and whether in purchasing 

 his seed he has obtained the worth of his money. 



To test germination it is only necessary to place the 

 seed under favorable conditions as to temperature and 

 moisture. Most progressive farmers now are in the 

 habit of testing seed corn for viability and hence will 

 readily understand how to handle grass seed for the 

 same purpose. 



The seed may be spread upon moist sand or upon wet 

 cloth or blotting paper, and should be kept for several 

 days at a fairly uniform temperature, about that of living 

 room. Soup plates make convenient germinators. A 

 plate is partly filled with clean sand and the sand satur- 

 ated with water. Upon the sand is placed a sheet of 

 blotting paper or a piece of Canton flannel. The seed 

 to be tested is placed upon the paper or cloth and covered 

 with a second layer of paper or cloth. There should be 

 enough water to saturate the sand and the covers but 

 not enough to show an excess of liquid so that the seeds 

 lie in water. A second soup plate is inverted over the 

 first to prevent drying out. The germinator is placed 



