148 Mr. Hunter's Paper. 



is only 60 per cent., so that if the value of the former is 

 Is. 6d. per lb., the latter is dear at Is. per lb. Such 

 being the case, it is astonishing that many who use 

 grass seeds do not think it necessary to take precautions 

 to ensure that the seeds they buy shall be of good germi- 

 nation, although it is a matter of such importance to them- 

 selves, not only as regards the future success of the pasture, 

 which is the chief consideration, but also because of the 

 present pecuniary advantage. If users of Grass Seeds 

 studied their own interests, they would buy none 

 without an exact statement of the germinating power 

 of each kind. All vague statements as to the seeds 

 being of " proved germination," &c., are valueless ; and, 

 unless the exact percentage of germination is stated, 

 it cannot be known by the purchaser whether the 

 seeds are of proved good germination or proved bad 

 germination. 



The next point of importance in regard to the quality 

 of any grass seed is the weight per bushel of the sample, 

 vide second column of figures in the table. Than this 

 there is no better' evidence of quality, and provided the 

 seed is new and free from admixture with seed of 

 another species, the test of weight alone will aflSrm the 

 good quality of any sample of grass seed. The variation 

 in the weight per bushel of the seed of any single 

 species of grass is very great, as the following instances 

 will show : — Meadow Foxtail may weigh from 5 lbs. to 

 14, lbs., per bushel ; Cocksfoot from 6 lbs. to 24 lbs. ; 

 Meadow ' Fescue from 10 lbs. to 30 lbs. ; Perennial 

 Ryegrass from 14 lbs. to 30 lbs. ; and all the others in 

 similar degree. The explanation of this is simple. 

 The heaviest samples must consist entirely of heavy 

 ripe seeds, free from all chaff and undeveloped non- 

 germinating seeds, and provided such a sample of seed 

 is new and sound, it cannot fail to be of the highest 

 germination — say, 95 to 98 per cent. Seed of lighter 

 weight per bushel is composed partly of heavy ripe 

 seeds, partly of undeveloped seeds and chaff, and, in 



