29 
detaches much more readily, as the axis of the spikelet is more brittle: — if this be not 
attended to, a large proportion of the seed may fall off, and the total amount obtained 
may thus be very largely diminished. To obtain seed, it is not necessary to sow Italian 
rye-grass by itself; it can be grown in mixture with red clover: from such a mixture, 
Italian rye-grass seed is very readily separated. 
From Italian rye-grass grown in rows Pinkert obtained 700—880 Ibs. of seed per acre and, as Yield of seed. 
accessory product, 600 lbs. in the third year, Sprengel states that the yield is equal to that of peren- 
nial rye-grass. Werner gives the average yield of seed as 300—400 lbs. per acre. 
The impurities noticed under perennial rye-grass may also occur here, viz. buttercups Impurities. 
(Ranunculus acris and repens), rib-grass (Plantago lanceolata, L.), sorrel (Rumex acetosella, 
L.), Hestuca bromoides, soft brome (Bromus mollis, L.), small yellow clover (Trifolium 
filiforme), etc. 
Adulteration is rare, because of the cheapness of the seed. Under the name of »Scotch Adulteration. 
rye-grass«, mixtures of perennial and Italian are at times brought into commerce. In such 
cases, about one half of the seed is awned (Italian), and the other half awnless (perennial). 
Seed and Amounts to be sown. The average purity of commercial seed is 94 °/o, and Seed quality. 
the average germinating power 59 °/o. Good seed ought, in general, to have 95 °/o. purity, 
and 70 °/o germinating power. If the seed has been kept, the germination rapidly dimi- 
nishes. 1 lb. of pure seed contains, on an average, 285,000 grains. The mean weight of 
good seed per bushel is 16 lbs., in the finest qualities 24 lbs.; in commerce, seed scarcely 
half this weight per bushel, consisting in the main of empty pales, is often met with. The 
weight per bushel is usually stated, and gives a somewhat rough idea of the quality, e. g. 
New seed of Italian rye-grass 14 lbs. 16 Ibs. 18 lbs. 20 lbs. per bushel 
Price per cwt. . » 203.64. 22s. 6d. 24s: 6d. 26-5. 6d 
Seed from Italy is usually very impure, and inferior in quality to Scotch seed. 
One acre requires 48'/2 lbs. of seed containing 67°/o pure and germinating = 82.4 Ibs. of Quantity 
pure and germinating seed. The commercial price of good seed is about 4d. per pound; the eae. Ae 
cost per acre for a pure sowing is accordingly 16/- to 17/-. Italian rye-grass is often sown 
pure for a two-years ley, and then, by forced culture, gives a very high yield. In England 
it is the custom to add about 10 lbs. of red clover. Italian rye-grass is also recommended 
as a protective crop for mixtures; in that case, an extra amount of Italian seed, 10—20 Ibs. 
over the ordinary quantity, is used. This practice cannot be too strongly condemned, be- 
cause Italian rye-grass becomes so luxuriant in the first and second years, that the other 
grasses are suppressed. In the third year, when the Italian rye-grass has disappeared, the 
grasses sown along with it are also gone, and the ground requires to be broken up. This 
property of starving out, and overshadowing plants mixed with it, renders it useful for the 
destruction of field horse-tail (Hquisetuwm arvense), and other weeds with creeping rhiz- 
omes. On the advice of Vilmorin, a piece of ground completely covered with field horse- 
tail, was sown with Italian rye-grass in 1853. In the following year, the horse-tail was 
considerably diminished, and in 1855, had quite disappeared (Pinkert). 
For a similar reason, Italian rye-grass ought not to occupy more than 5 °/o of a Mix- Mixtures. 
ture for permanent or temporary meadows. No mixture with more than 10 °/o ought to be 
used. A mixture of Italian rye-grass with Carnation clover may be sown in August, on a 
light warm soil, and in the following May a very good crop should be obtained, The 
