152 Agricultural Section [pt ii 



The Purity and Germination of good samples of Creeping Eed 

 Fescue should be similar to the figures given for Hard Fescue. 



Seed of Ghewing's Fescue should have a purity of 90 to 95 per 



cent. Chaff, and seeds of Perennial Rye-grass usually form the 



chief impurities. The weed seeds to be looked for are 



Holcus sps., HypocJiceris radicata (Cat's-ear), and Festuca 



Myurus (see Figs. 99, 114 and 169). Its germination 



is extremely variable even with seed of good weight 



and appearance. The germination capacity often falls 



off to a serious extent in the course of a few months, 



even under good storage conditions. Good new seed 



should germinate 50 per cent, in seven days and about 



90 per cent, in twenty-one days, but frequently the 



Fig. 169. germination capacity is as low as 40 per cent. All 



Hypochae- samples should be tested before sowing. 



ris radi- 

 cata, L. Glyceria aquatica, Sm. 



» ' This large perennial grass is frequently found by 



the side of streams, on wet ground, etc. and is readily 



eaten by cattle. On land liable to floods, water-meadows and wet 



places generally it might be worth sowing. The seed could be easily 



produced by seedsmen, if there was a reasonable demand for it. 



Lolium perenne. L. 



For Botanical description see p. 113. 



Perennial Rye-grass is indigenous to the temperate parts of 

 Europe and Asia, and it has become naturalized in many other 

 parts of the world. It is abundant all over Britain in pastures, 

 meadows, and waste places. Although this plant will grow on 

 almost any kind of soil it only really thrives on moist fertile land. 

 Rich loams and clays are most suitable for it, and on these it 

 forms a thick even turf, withstands drought well, and is quite 

 permanent. On looser and drier soils it generally fails to form 

 a compact turf and soon dies out. Its permanence thus varies 

 very much with the nature of the soil and climate. Perennial 

 Rye-grass developes very rapidly after sowing. When sown in 

 the spring a good crop is obtained the first season, and its full 

 yielding capacity is reached by the second year. The ground is 



