i|2 Sainfoin Seed. [jiiiiiE, 



the seed sown. A fresh, living seed responds more quickly 

 and vigorously to the germinating test than an old or weathered 

 stale one, and it must be remembered that when the germina^ 

 tion is prolonged and slow there is increased liability to 

 disease— to the ravages of insects and fungoid pests — and the 

 plant produced is weak, resulting in a poor crop at harvest time. 



The most casual examination of sainfoin seed will enable one 

 readily to understand that opportunities for its successful adul- 

 teration scarcely exist, and, so far as the writer's experience 

 goes, it is never attempted, but accidental impurities are not 

 uncommonly^met with. (See illustration.) These are burnet 



Fig. 4.— Corn Crow-foot. (Magnified fonr diameters.) 



(^PoteriuiJi sanguisortm) and soft brome grass {^Brotnus mollis). 

 Other impurities are barren brome grass {Broiiuis sterilii)^ corn 

 crow-foot {Ramuicuhis arvensis)^ and the black wrinkled pods of 

 tr^ioW {Medicago liipulma). 



As a rule, all the foreign seeds found in sainfoin (with the ex- 

 ception of burnet) can readily be removed by means of sifting 

 and winnowing, and make but little waste. The removal of 

 burnet is more difficult, and if present in any quantity it is well- 

 nigh impossible to make the sample absolutely pure. 



The seeds of burnet are in reality two-seeded fruits, and the 

 difference in their shape and size compared with the seeds of 

 sainfoin is well marked, both in the illustration and in the micro- 



