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in a meadow. It is true, that Orchard-grass gives a greater bulk; 

 but it is equally true, that Meadow Fescue is a far softer and 

 tenderer plant, less coarse and hard than the former and therefore 

 preferred by the cattle. And as regards the market-value of both 

 varieties, it must be stated that, though Orchard-grass sells as a 

 rule dearer than Meadow Fescue, we have known the time more 

 than once, that the reverse happened to be the case and that 

 Meadow Fescue was selling a good deal, 50 % even, dearer than 

 Orchard-grass. 



Under such circumstances there would even be no sense in 

 committing willful adulteration! 



Here is another instance. Take Festuca ovina angus- 

 tifolia (Fine-leaved Fescue). Experience has taught that, if 

 three or four years seed has been collected from one and the 

 same tract of land, the plants and the seeds likewise acquire quite 

 a different character, deviating greatly from the original, true 

 variety and taking more or less the aspect of the ordinary 

 Festuca ovina (Sheep's Fescue), not quite so large-seeded, 

 however, and giving more the idea of a "cross" between the one 

 and the other. This seed is regularly being sold as the fine-leaved 

 variety, as it actually emanates from that variety's fields, and it 

 would, consequently be likewise a wrong conception of the case 

 to speak here of adulteration. 



Poa nemoralis (Wood Meadow-grass), an other instance, is 

 even as a fancy quality never to be got entirely pure and free 

 from Poa pratensis (Smooth-stalked Meadow- or Kentucky 

 Bluegrass), of which variety it contains always a larger or smaller 

 percentage according to the grade under which it is being classified. 

 And the grains present in a sample are, therefore, never being 

 deducted from the exact percentage of purity when a sample of 

 nemoralis is being analysed. 



One more example. Take Avena elatior (Tall Oat-grass). 

 This seed, likewise, is seldom even as a fancy grade got purer 

 than say 85 to 90 % on an average. It is always found to contain 

 a certain percentage of Dactylis glomerata (Orchard-grass), 

 Festuca pratensis (Meadow Fescue) and some other kinds, 

 mainly B r o m u s-varieties. If such a fancy quality is being ana- 

 lysed, it is generally understood that, if say 90 % is given as its 

 purity, these 90 % are composed of "good seeds" of different 

 denomination, of which the Tall Oat-grass forms, of course, the 

 bulk, whereas some 10 / or more, very often as high as 15 to 



