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this prevents them from being crushed during threshing. In commercial seed, broad crushed 
grains often occur to the extent of 10 per cent or more; their presence indicates that the seed 
has not been properly dried before threshing. 
Each pod contains from one to three seeds; as these are very small, the yield is not so great as is Yield of seed. 
the case with red clover. Werner estimates the yield at 132 to 264 lbs. per acre, and Schober. at 
396 lbs. In Saxony, it usually varies from 264 to 300 lbs. per acre. 
The impurities of Alsike are much the same as those of red clover; dodder is _ Impurities. 
specially frequent. Among 48 samples examined at the Swiss control station, during the 
season 1881—1882, one half contained dodder. One lb. of seed contained, on an average, 
6,200 dodder seeds; in one case, as many as 85,700. The size of the dodder seed 
approaches closely to that of Alsike; it is, therefore, very difficult to separate them. When 
cleaned with a #/4 m.m. sieve, the smaller dodder seeds are eliminated, but the larger 
still remain. Sorrel (Rumex acetosella), Ribgrass (Plantago lanceolata), Self-heal (Prunella 
vulgaris), Cornchamomile (Authenis arvensis), Stitchwort (Stellaria media), Chickweed 
(Cerastium triviale), Bladder campion (Silene inflata) etc. are very frequent impurities. 
When such occur to the extent of 5 per cent, or more, which is often the case, the seed 
should not be used. Ribgrass, for example, is often specially hurtful. The seed of white 
clover (Trifolium repens) and Trefoil (Medicago lupulina) are frequently present in Alsike seed. 
Old and discoloured seed is often dyed green to give it a fresh appearance. ‘This adulterations. 
fraud is easily detected by rubbing the seeds with a white cloth which readily removes 
the artificial green colouring matter. The artificially added colour lies on the surface of the 
skin, whereas the natural colouring matter is seated in the seed skin. Hence it is that very 
little colour can be removed from fresh Alsike seed when it is rubbed with a cloth, whereas 
artificial colouring matter shews itself on the cloth at once. Formerly, Alsike was 
adulterated with green coloured stones, but attempts in this direction have now ceased. 
Seed and amounts to be sown. The average purity of 100 samples analysed at the Seed quality. 
Swiss control station was found to be 95 °/o, and the germination 72 °/o. Good commercial seed 
should have 97 °/o purity and 75 °/o germinating power = 73 °/o of pure und germinating seed. 
Care should, of course, be taken that no dodder is present. One lb. of pure seed contains, 
on an average, 707,000 seeds. One pound of 78°/o seed, therefore, contains 526,000 pure 
and germinating seeds. A bushel varies in weight from 94 to 100 Ibs. 12:3 Ibs. of seed, con- 
taining 73 °/o pure and germinating, are required per acre = 91bs. of pure and germinating seed. 
A pure sowing of Alsike is not advisable because a larger yield and better quality of Mixtures. 
fodder is obtained from a mixture. It may be sown along with red clover, but grasses 
should be added to the mixture, e. g. 50 °/o Red clover, 25°/o Alsike, 25 °/o Timothy. Timothy 
and Alsike are two fodder plants extremely suitable for heavy, moist soils, and they give 
the heaviest hay. Cocksfoot and perennial rye-grass also form suitable mixtures with 
Alsike; Italian and false oat-grass are not so suitable. As pointed out in the case of 
white - clover, so here, the mixture is not at all deteriorated by the presence of grasses. 
The grasses, in fact, serve as supports, and tend to prevent Alsike from being laid. 
A species of clover closely allied to Alsike is Trifolium elegans, Savi. It is distinguished Trifolium 
from Alsike by the following characters. The stem is solid and downy near the apex, and the _ elegans. 
margins of the leaves are doubly toothed, The plant is slightly smaller than Alsike; and the flower- 
head is redder, rounder, and more elegant in appearance (hence the specific name). In other respects 
there is a close resemblance between the two. The seeds are identical in form, colour, and_ size, 
W. Liébe states that Trifolium elegans growing along with Alsike is frequently a cause of disease in animals 
