64 FARM GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 



than meadow-fescue. From the table it is seen that the 

 cost of some varieties of seed, such as tall fescue and 

 tall oat-grass, is so high as to be well-nigh prohibitive. 

 This difference in cost undoubtedly has much to do 

 with the lack of popularity of many grasses, even in 

 sections where the}^ are superior to others. 



WEIGHT PER BUSHEI. 



In most trade centres the sale of seed by the meas- 

 ured bushel has been abandoned, and the much more 

 satisfactory method of selling by the hundred pounds 

 substituted. However, the weight per bushel is highly 

 important as an approximate indication of quality, 

 as it determines very closely the amount of chaff, 

 although giving no information regarding weed seeds 

 and adulterants. The recognized weights for the 

 heavier grass-seeds, such as timothy and millet, repre- 

 sent a good grade, while with the lighter seeds, such 

 as blue-grass, orchard- grass, and redtop, the weight 

 per bushel of good seed is considerably heavier than 

 that commonly used. In most States the legal weight 

 of Kentucky blue-grass is 14 lbs., but well-cleaned 

 seed of good quality weighs from 24 to 28 lbs. Or- 

 chard-grass, w r hich is usually considered as 14 lbs., 

 should weigh from 16 to 18 lbs. While chaff redtop 

 often weighs 8 lbs. or less, good, solid, recleaned 

 seed weighs 40 lbs. One of the best safeguards in 

 buying the lighter grass-seeds is to have the dealer 

 determine the weight per bushel, which should, in all 

 cases, come up to the w r eight shown in the following 

 table : 



