334 Annual Report of the Consulting Botanist for 1883. 
the samples that I have examined have contained a greater or 
less proportion of this most dangerous parasite. And although 
I am satisfied that fiorin is a valuable ingredient in grasses for 
permanent pasture, it would certainly be added at too great a 
cost if it were the vehicle for introducing ergot into the pasture. 
The injury to stock caused by ergot is frequently brought under 
my notice, and in no case where a diligent search in the 
pastures has been made has it been difficult to find the cause. 
Like most other maladies, it is easier to prevent than to cure. 
Fiorin should vary greatly in value in proportion as it is 
thoroughly cleaned. Some samples that I have examined have 
had more than half of the bulk consisting of chaff. 
The crested dogstail [Ci/nosui'us cristatus, Linn.) is seldom 
adulterated. Two samples have been largely mixed with Mo- 
linia ccerulea, and one with the naked seeds of Holcus lanatus 
(Yorkshire fog). The germination is also generally high. 
One quarter of the samples examined were below the standard 
recommended by the Council, and (with the exception of one 
sample which germinated thirty-five per cent.) only a very little 
below that standard. 
The grass-mixtures that I have analysed strongly support the 
recommendation of the Seeds and Plant Diseases Committee that 
it is very undesirable to purchase prepared mixtures. The table on 
the opposite page shows the composition of sixteen such mixtures, 
some of which were sold under such high-sounding: names as 
" Landlord and Tenant ^Mixture," and " Permanent Grasses as 
recommended by the Royal Agricultural Society." I have 
added in the last line (000) the composition of the mixture of 
grasses recommended by Mr. de Laune in his paper published 
in a recent number of the Society's ' Journal.' 
It is difficult to calculate the injury done to a meadow by the 
introduction of Yorkshire fog {^Holcus lanatus. Linn.) and the two 
Airas which form so large a proportion of some of the mixtures. 
When it is desired to lay down a pasture with rye-grass, it 
could be done at a much cheaper rate than by purchasing a 
mixture. Several of the impurities present in these mixtures 
are due to the adulteration of some of the seeds which enter into 
their composition, or rather to the substitution of one seed for 
another, thus — Aira flcxuosa replaces Avena flavcscens, Aira 
ccespitosa replaces A/jrostis alba, var. stolonifera, and the vernal 
grass, which should have been Anthoxanthum odoi'atiim, in all the 
mixtures is Anthoxanthum Puelii. The Yorkshire fog one would 
expect to be due to careless collecting or imperfect cleaning ; 
but in the mixtures, in which it is found in considerable quan- 
titv, it appears to take the place of foxtail, and has been pro- 
bably sold for this valuable grass, and paid for accordingly. 
