255 
ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1906 OF THE 
CONSULTING BOTANIST. 
DURING the past year, 208 inquiries from members of the 
Society were dealt with. So far as these applications testify, 
it may be said that from the point of view of the Botanical 
Department the year - has been a satisfactory one for the 
farmer. Most of the inquiries related to the germination and 
purity of farm seeds. Only twenty-two applications were made 
by members in regard to diseases in farm crops ; in each case 
information was given as to the cause of the malady, with 
advice as to remedial treatment. In fifty-three cases informa- 
tion was given as to the names and properties of unknown 
plants, and as to the eradication uf those that were weeds. 
Several of the plants had been suspected of having poisoned 
stock, but no loss of farm animals was brought to the notice 
of the Botanist from poisoning this year. 
Purity and Germination op Seeds. 
Forty-seven samples of clovers were examined for purity and 
germination. Only in one case, a sample of Chilian clover, was 
dodder found. This is a great improvement in the seed in the 
market ; it is to be hoped that with continued care the seed of 
this serious pest may soon disappear from the clover seeds offered 
to the farmer. The highest percentage in the germination of 
clovers reached 97 per cent., and the lowest was 80 per cent. ; 
the average was 90 per cent., representing throughout a good 
quality of seed. A sample of red clover was remarkable for 
its purity, for it was quite free from other seeds and had only 
about \ per cent, of mineral and vegetable impurities. One 
sample of home-grown clover consisted of 49 per cent, clover, 
47 per cent, rye-grass, the remaining 4 per cent, of bur-parsley 
( Caucalis daucoides Linn.), ribwort ( Plantago lanceolata 
Linn.), and vegetable and mineral impurities. This unsatis- 
factory sample reduced the average purity to 82 per cent. 
Had this been excluded the average purity would have risen 
to 94 per cent. The home clover harvest last year was very 
good. America was supplied with English seed to a consider- 
able extent, and hardly any American-grown seed was on the 
market, and that little was the remainder from the previous 
year. 
