PASTURES AND PASTURE PLANTS 



CHAP. V 



Gauge of Value. — The only reliable gauge of the worth of seed is its 

 real value, determined as described in paragraph 2, page 38. Indeed, the 

 gross weight of any parcel indicates absolutely nothing as to its practical worth 

 unless its real value be known, since it may contain 90 or only 10 per cent, 

 of pure and germinating seeds. 



Cost of Seeds. — From the preceding paragraph it is obvious that the 

 cost per lb. of pure and germinating seeds should form the basis of all 

 purchases, and not merely the price per lb. gross, — a truth readily illustrated 

 by comparing 2 bags, A and B, of Red clover seed, sold respectively at 6d. 

 and 7d. per lb. : — 



Mark of bag. 



A (red clover) 

 1! 



Weight in lb*;, 



of seed in 



bag. 



Percentage of , Percentage of 

 purity of j germination of 

 seed. 



10 

 20 



seed. 



60 

 90 



40 

 90 



Cost per lb. 

 of seed. 



6d. 

 7d. 



'Jotal cost 



of seed in 



bag. 



5/- 

 11/8 



„, , , , ^, J ., 60 X 40 /Purity x Germination\ 



The real value of the seed m A= ^ ( i- ) = 24 per 



100 \ 100 / 



100 

 90 _ 



24 



Then -^t^ of A 

 100 



24 



cent., while that of B is "- - ?"- = 81 per cent. 



100 



of 10 lbs. = 2'4 lbs. is useful (pure and germinating) seed, as against — of 



100 



81 



B ^ of 20 lbs. = i6'2 lbs. But the 2-4 lbs. of useful seed in A cost i;s., 



100 



or 2S. id. per lb., and the i6'2 lbs. of B are obtained for iis. 8d., which is 

 approximately 8Jd. per lb. ; so that the 6d. seed is really considerably 

 dearer than that sold at 7d. per lb. Whence it is evident that the purchasing 

 of cheap seeds merely because they are cheap is a grave error, apart from the 

 important question of the greater proportions of noxious species present in 

 low-quality samples. 



Appearance and Weight. — While the true gauge of value is the per- 

 centage of pure and germinating seeds, preference should always be given to 

 new, heavy, plump and fresh-looking qualities, since imperfectly matured, 

 light and small seeds, though they may possibly germinate satisfactorily, pro- 

 duce only feeble plants that are exceedingly susceptible to external injurious 

 influences. 



