328 Report of the Consulting Botanist for 1885. 
would not repay, as the variety has no special merits. The 
manna grass has a head somewhat like that of the hybrid, and 
is offered in its place. But it is unsuited for pasture, as it is 
not eaten by stock, and grows naturally only in ditches, stagnant 
waters, or wet boggy land. 
The samples of Timothy (Phleum pratense, Linn.), have been, 
as they usually are, free from impurities, and their germination 
has been high, only 4 per cent, growing less than half the seeds, 
the great majority germinating from 97 to 100 per cent. 
The same may be said of the crested dogstail {^Cynosurus 
cristatus. Linn.), where the only impurity has been the presence 
of shelled seeds of Yorkshire fog in one of the samples. 
Of the meadow grasses, the purest and best in germination 
is the rough-stalked meadow-grass (Poa trivialis. Linn.), which 
is also the most valuable in the pasture. Frequently this seed 
is imperfectly cleaned from the chaff ; in 8 per cent, of the 
samples examined no less than one-third of the bulk was 
composed of this useless chaff. The seeds of Glyceria distans, 
Wahl., a worthless grass found on our sandy shores, was 
employed to adulterate a few samples, though in no case 
reaching more than 22 per cent. The germination was satis- 
factory — 20 per cent, germinated less than 80 in the hundred, 
24 per cent, between 80 and 90, and 56 per cent, over 90 in the 
hundred. The smooth-stalked meadow-grass (Poa pratensis. 
Linn.) was also adulterated, and to a greater extent, with 
Glyceria distans, Wahl., and its germination was low, in no 
case reaching 50 per cent. The wood meadow-grass {Poa 
nemoralis, Linn.), had a higher germination, but not equal to 
that of Poa trivialis. Linn., and it was also to some extent 
adulterated with the Glyceria. 
The samples of vernal grass {Anthoxanthum odoratum. Linn.), 
were all free from the seeds of the worthless annual vernal 
grass, which is not unfrequently met with as an adulterant of 
this grass. The germination is on the whole low, the highest 
giving only 75 per cent., and the others ranging downwards 
to 29 per cent. 
The samples of yellow-oat grass (Arrhenatherum avenaceum, 
Beauv.) have all been very impure, and with a low germination. 
One sample had no more than 30 per cent, of the grass, and the 
best had only 74 per cent. In one sample the germination was 
only 5 per cent., and the best was 45 per cent. 
The clovers do not present any points of special interest. 
Their germination has been satisfactory, and, except that dodder 
was found in 12 per cent, of the samples, they were free from 
weeds. 
