162 Agricultural Section [pt ii 



and grows to perfection in water meadows, and under irrigation. 

 Its nutritive value is high, and no kind of grass is more readily 

 eaten by cattle. It forms a most valuable constituent for the 

 turf of ordinary lawns, but it will not withstand hard wear. 



Commercial Seed. 



Kough-stalked Meadow-grass seed is imported chiefly from 

 Denmark. 



Adulteration is now rarely attempted though other Poas may 

 occasionally be mixed with it. Well-cleaned seed should not con- 

 tain more than five to seven per cent, of chaff, or one per cent, of 

 foreign seeds. The usual weed impurities are: Holcus sps. and 

 Alopecurus geniculatus, L. (Floating Foxtail-grass). (Figs. 50 and 

 114.) The Purity should reach at least 90 per cent., and the 

 Germination 60 to 70 per cent, in seven days, and 85 to 95 per 

 eent. in twenty-one days. 



CHAPTER IX 



THE VALUATION AND PURCHASE OP GRASS SEEDS 



In the purchase and use of grass seeds special care is necessary, 

 not only because they are generally expensive, but more especi- 

 ally because different samples of the same species are extremely 

 variable in composition and vitality. Yet in many cases low- 

 grade samples cannot be readily distinguished from high-class 

 seed by a mere casual examination. A brief account of the method 

 of determining the value of samples will therefore be useful to 

 all purchasers. 



The value of any sample of seed may be ascertained by an 

 examination of the following points : 



1. Its Genuineness, i.e. trueness as to the variety required. 



2. Its Purity, i.e. the percentage of pure seed in the sample, 

 and the nature of the impurities present. 



3. The Germination Capacity of the pure seed. 



4. The Germination Energy, or rate of germination, and to a 

 less extent by — 



5. The Absolute Weight of a given number of seeds, and 



6. The Volume Weight, e.g. Weight per bushel. 



