AORICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 181 



between the seeds, as shown by the specimens sent. By examin- 

 ing the joints of the pods, you will find the brownish spherical 

 seeds. What the physiological effects of eating so much radish 

 seed would be upon animals I cannot say, but as the seeds of some 

 cruciferous plants yield an irritating pungent oil, the effect would 

 probably be like that of mustard seed, laxative and stimulating to 

 the digestive organs. This effect would not be desirable in 

 healthy animals. The radish seed, though an adulteration, would 

 have some nutritive value. Clean oats would be preferable and 

 this adulteration ought to make them of less market value. Such 

 •oats should not be used as seed, as this bad weed would be intro- 

 duced whereever they were sown. It would not be possible to feed 

 such oats on the farm without introducing the weed. We would 

 advise farmers not to buy them. The weed is already in the 

 State, being rather common about Orono. Care should be taken 

 not to further extend it. It may be said in its favor, that it is an 

 annual; and could be eradicated in one season, by careful tillage. 

 We would like to know whether the oats received from the West 

 are often thus adulterated or whether this is the first time you 

 have seen it. I wish you would send me a q'lart of the seed adul- 

 terated just as taken from the car. I want to determine the per 

 cent, of foreign matter and keep the sample for the museum. 

 Yours very truly, 



F. L. Harvey, 



Botanist for the Station. 



Yellow Dock axd Bitter Dock. 

 Rumex crispus, L, and Iiumex obtusifolius, L. 



The above species sent for determination are common weeds in 

 fields, gardens and waste ground. They are naturalized from 

 Europe. The Curled Dock is smooth, has lanceolate acute leaves 

 with the margins strongly wavy curled. The lowest leaves truncate 

 or scarcely heart-shaped at the base. The flowers in crowded 

 whorls on a long wand -like raceme. The valves (three inner 

 sepals) round, heart shaped with an obscure toothed or entire 

 border and nearly all grain bearing. 



The Bitter Dock has a rough stem, the lowest leaves ovate 

 heart-shaped and obtuse. Flowers in loose, distinct whorls. The 

 valves strongly veined, ovate shield-shaped with sharp, awl-shaped 

 teeth at the base. Only one usually grain bearing. 



