HARD SEEDS 323 



Weights of Seeds of Forage Crops 



Variation in weight of one 

 Name of seed Legal weight bushel, pounds 



Redtop 14 14-40 



Orchard-grass 14 12-22 



Kentucky blue-grass 14 6-30 



Timothy 45 45-50 



Italian rye-grass 20 12-24 



Meadow fescue 20-30 



Smooth brome-grass . . 12-20 



Bermuda grass . . 35 



Millet 48-50 40-55 



Sheep fescue . . 10-30 



Peas, beans, alfalfa, clovers and 



vetches 60 55-65 



Seeds Sold by Weight. Most farm products are sold by the 

 bushel, as grain, potatoes, or apples. Clover, alfalfa, peas, and 

 vetch are also generally sold by the bushel. Timothy is also sold by 

 the bushel, but other grass seeds, owing to the variable weights, are 

 more often sold by the 100 pounds. In fact, it is becoming more 

 common to sell clovers, timothy, and all small forage seeds by the 

 hundredweight, as it is really a fairer and more logical way. 



Dead Seeds. The vitality of new seed properly cared for is 

 usually high. Low vitality is usually due either to poor manage- 

 ment in curing or to old seed. Blue-grass offers a good example of 

 seed injured in curing. The seed heads are usually stripped with a 

 machine and piled up to dry. The drying is slow and often some 

 heat develops. It has been proved that blue-grass properly cured 

 has a high vitality. 



How long seeds will retain vitality depends largely on storage. 

 In good dry storage most seeds remain vital for two to three years. 

 However, seeds in damp storage or in a warm, humid climate may 

 be worthless after one year. 



Immature seeds are sometimes present, especially in the clovers. 

 In clover and alfalfa they usually have a dark brown or shrivelled 

 appearance, and have little or no value. 



Hard seeds are common in all the clovers and vetches, but prob- 

 ably do not often occur in grasses. Hard seeds are due to the seed- 

 coat being impervious to water. The seeds will remain in the 

 ground until the seed-coat decays sufficiently so water can enter, 

 which may take one or two years. If the seed-coats are scratched by 



