129 



below, seeds were found in the manure with the following capacity for 

 germination : — 



Solanum nigrum 



Stellaria media 



Sonchus asper 



Senecio vulgaris 



Capsella Bursa pastoris 



Urtioa urenS ... 



Atriplex patula 



Polygonum aviculare - 



The cow had besides been fed with plants of Sinapis arvensis and SUene 

 inflata, but seeds of these were, strange to tell, not found ia the manure ; 

 the seed in question in the fodder was in all probability not fully matured. 

 Besides the above species, 26 others were foimd in the manure ; these were 

 probably in the hay with which the cow was fed. 



In a later experiment carried out by the writer (" Tidssla-ift for Land- 

 brugets Planteavl," vol. 17, pp. 618-626), a cow was fed with definite 

 quantities of Plantago laneeolata and Matricaria inodora as well as with 

 forage which did not contain weed seeds. The manure was collected 

 during the following five days, and each day's sample was washed out and 

 tested. The main results of these experiments are recorded in Teible 6 

 (see page 137). 



The feeding with weed seeds took place at 7 o'clock in the morning, and 

 the principal part of the weed seeds were found in the manure the next 

 day. Seeds which were two days in passing through the cow had about 

 20 per cent, lower germinating capacity than had the seed which remained 

 only one day in the intestinal canal. 



An experiment with a pig (weighing about 70 kg.) was carried out so 

 that the animal was fed daily with 2-8 kg. of a fodder which contained 

 a great amount, of weed seeds. After this feeding had been carried on for 

 some time, the maniu'e for four days in succession was tested. The feeding 

 with the weed-charged fodder was also continued durmg these days. The 

 manure from each day was investigated separately and the tests gave 

 corresponding results. The average figures for the four days mentiohed 

 are stated in Table 7 {see page 138). 



Results of a similar experiment in feeding of poultry are stated in 

 Table 8 {see page 138). 



The investigations reported in this article show — 



(1) That seed for seeding purposes — especially clover and grass 

 seed — contains often rather large quantities of weed seeds. 



(2) That cereal seed for forage purposes, and especially chaff and 

 cleanings, often contain considerable amounts of weed seeds. 



(3) That the weed seed has, as a rule, a good germinating power; 

 that it frequently germinates slowly during several years, and that 

 many species retain their power of germination for many years, when 

 stored dry as well as when lying in the soil, 



(4) That weed seeds are far from destroyed after passing either 

 through the mill or the digestive system of domestic animals. 



In recent years, experiments have been carried out at the Danish State 

 Seed Testing Station in order to' throw some hght upon how the weed seed 

 retains its germinating capacity in the manme heap. These investigations 

 are still vinfinished. Mention should, nevertheless, be made of the fact 

 that the weed seeds in the manure heap are able partly to retain their 

 germinating capacity when lying in the loose top layer, whereas the 

 species tested seem to be destroyed in a short time when lying in those 

 layers of a well- tended maniu-e heap where the manure is firmly pressed 

 together, so that it retains its moLstiire and becomes heated. 



« 23*01 E 



