158 Remarks on Mr. Hunter's Notes on the Seed Trade. 



APPENDIX II. 



On some Notes on the Seed Trade and Grass Seeds 

 SUPPLIED BY Mr. Jambs Hunter, Agricultural Seed 

 Merchant, Chester. 

 When my late friend, Mr. Faunce de Laune of Sharsted Court, 

 Kent, wrote, in 1882, his paper on "Laying Down Land to Per- 

 manent Pasture " * — a paper which initiated all the important 

 results that followed it both in the seed trade and in the selection 

 of seeds by agriculturists, as well as in the cleaning of seeds, 

 which resulted in thistles and weeds being largely diminished 

 — the grass seed trade in this coxmtry was in a most extra- 

 ordinary condition, and illustrates the need, to which I have 

 repeatedly called attention, for agricidtural schools. For, at the 

 time my friend wrote, Mr. James Hunter points out that " great 

 ignorance of the permanent grasses prevailed both amongst 

 seedsmen and agriculturists. Seedsmen knew little either of the 

 species of grasses or their seeds, and agriculturists stiU less. 

 When land was laid down to permanent grass a ' mixture ' of 

 seeds was ordered, and the agriculturist accepted whatever was 

 supplied, as he had no knowledge to enable him to look after his 

 own interests. Such being the case, adulterated seeds, and seeds 

 of very mferior quality, were freely sold without any complaint 

 being made by the purchasers ; and, as the price of different grass 

 see^s varies considerably, the cheaper kinds were used in excessive 

 quantity. Thus, ryegrass, which is always low-priced, was largely 

 used in permanent grass mixtures, and it was also the adulterant 

 of meadow fescue, cocksfoot, &c. It might happen, therefore, 

 that owing to the low quality and inferior germination of the 

 grass seeds used, and the large proportion of ryegrass (usually of 

 good germination) in the mixture, nine-tenths of the grasses in a 

 pasture might be ryegrass. To Mr. Faunce de Laune is due the 

 great credit of being the first to discover and draw attention to 

 this great evil, and his efforts have had most beneficial results, 

 not only in directing attention to the proper species to grow, but 

 in creating a demand for pure seeds, which is now fairly supplied. 

 It must not, however, be supposed that the sale of bad seeds has 



* "Journal of the Koyal Agricultural Society of England." Part I., 

 No. XXXV. 1882. John Murray, London. 



