98 



SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



approaches absolute purity as timothy seed; consequently, the standard 

 of purity is placed at 99 per cent, and that of germination at 98 per cent. 

 Timothy seed contains about 1,200,000 seeds to the pound, and weighs 

 42 to 48 pounds per bushel. The legal weight is 45 pounds. Four pounds 

 of timothy seed furnish 100 seeds to the square foot on an acre. If 

 every seed produced a plant there would be a great many more plants 

 than are required to make a satisfactory hay crop. The seeds, however, 

 are so small, and the conditions for germination and early growth often 

 so unfavorable, that 12 pounds per acre are usually required. Tests at 

 several of the experiment stations with different rates of seeding show 

 that the largest yield of hay has been secured by using amounts somewhat 

 in excess of 15 pounds per acre. 



THE HAY LOADER IN OPERATION.* 



Under favorable temperature and moisture conditions the seed 

 germinates in five to six days. Although a large percentage of seed three 

 or four years old will grow, it is safest to use seed that is not more than 

 one year old. New seed is sometimes adulterated with old seed. Old 

 seed can generally be detected by its lack of luster, but a germination 

 test to determine the quality of the seed is advised. 



The seed is sown broadcast and where seeded with a nurse crop is 

 generally applied by means of the grass seed attachment to the grain 

 drill. There are two methods of distributing the seed by this attachment. 

 In some cases the grass seed distributors are turned in front of the drill 

 hoes. This provides for considerable covering of the timothy seed, and 



1 Courtesy of The International Harvester Company, Chicago, 



