676 



FARM ' SEEDS ' : SPECIAL 



The GERMiXATiox CAPACITY should not be less than 90 per cent. 



AVeight.— The best samples weigh 28 lbs. per bushel or more, 

 and none should be used less than 25 lbs. 1000 seeds should 

 weigh 2 grams. 



Italian Rye-grass (Lolium ifalicum A. Br.j. — - — 



Form and Size. — The seed of this grass re- n 



sembles that of perennial rye-grass, but the flower- 'A 



ing glume has a well-developed awn, and is usuall)- M 



more divided and jagged at the tip (^Fig. 228). >,ft 



PuRiTV. — This should be ico per cent.; but, as wf\, 

 in the former species, samples are often very im- .■ \ 

 perfectly cleaned, and contain similar weed seeds, / ' 



together with those of Ox-eye Daisy (C'/zn'-f(?///'//^OT?/'OT 1 •, 



leucantliemum L.), Nipplewort (Lapsana communis 

 L.), several species of Dock (Riimex), and Forget-me- 

 not (Myosoiis) (Fig. 227), as well as species of 

 Brome-grass (Bromus mollis L., and 

 B. secaliniis L.), and Hair-grass or 

 Squirrel-tail Fescue (Festuca sciuroides 

 Roth.;. The latter is a dark, slender 

 r c , seed, with a lona;, delicate awn. 



Fig. 227. — Seed ' s' 



ofPaiti-colour- Thg GERMIN.VTIOX CAPACITY should 

 ed r orget-me- 



■aoiuiyosotis not be lower than 8; to oo per cent. 



versicolor 



Reichb.). The bushel-weight of good, clean 



samples is about 23 lbs, and 1000 seeds should '^ 'of ua^ian Rye- 

 weigh 2 grams. crass. 



Ex. 277. (i) The student should examine samples of all farm seeds ol)tain- 

 able, so as to become thoroughly familiar with their form, colour, and other 

 external peculiarities. Jle should also become practically acquainted with 

 all the common impurities mentioned and figured in this chapter. 



(ii) A collection of the seeds of the common weeds of the farm should be 

 made and kept for reference. 



(iii) Students at colleges and schools should determine the weight of 1000 

 seeds from various different commercial samples of farm seeds. 



To do this weigh out I, 2, 5 or 10 grams, of the seed : then count the 

 number of seeds obtained, and from the result calculate the weight of 1000. 



- .Seed 



