Annual Eeport for 1888 of the Consulting Botanist. 31-5 
case for sending out impure seed. The germination of the red 
clover averaged 96 per cent., the alsike 93 jjer cent., white clover 
77 per cent., and trefoil 84 per cent. 
The samples of yarrow were remarkably clean, and the ger- 
mination averaged 83 per cent. 
The use of mixtures continues to be a frequent method of 
distributing injurious seeds, and of entailing great loss on the 
farmer. The following Table gives the analyses of ten samples 
sent to different members of the Society, and further establishes 
the importance of the recommendation of the Council that farmers 
should avoid the pui-chase of mixtures, but should select and 
purchase the grass and other seeds separately and mix them for 
themselves : — 
2363 
2508 
2516 
2517 
2566 
2567 
2596 
2622 
2623 
2628 
% 
% 
% 
% 
% 
% 
% 
% 
% 
41 
% 
R3'egrass . . 
32 
57 
35 
23 
65 
24 
35 
65 
87 
Yorkshire fog . 
23 
2 
11 
Bromus mollis . 
36 
Hard fescue 
17 
24 
Cocksfoot . . 
13 
10 
4 
Dogstail . . . 
28 
Timothy . . . 
11 
23 
14 
Other grasses . 
4 
4 
3 
3 
23 
2 
Clovers . . . 
2 
68 
70 
24 
46 
42 
11 
Weeds . . . 
11 
7 
7 
7 
In all, ryegrass forms a principal ingredient, and in several of 
them worthless grasses, which are more objectionable than 
known weeds, occur in considerable quantity. 
Samples of hay, bought by a member of the Society as best 
Dutch hay, were examined by me, and found to be composed of 
the coarse natural herbage of swamps or bogs, chiefly of sedges, 
rushes, horsetail, buckbean, water-lily, cotton-grass, and willow. 
Its use had been injurious to the cows for which it was provided. 
The merchant refused to take back the hay and refund the 
money ; but he was compelled to do so, a judgment having been 
obtained against him at the Assize Court. 
Several inquiries have been made as to injuries to stock, 
supposed to be due to poisonous plants, and in several instances 
this was the case. Colchicum, Daphne Laureola, and yew had 
caused death to stock, but in other cases the evil was attributed 
by the senders to weeds that have no dangerous properties. 
