Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1914-02-20
WILL QUACK GRASS terminate?
Interesting Letter Re. eived by o. E.
Rice From Agricultural Expert
ment Station

Some time ago, County Superin-
tendent 0. e. Rice wrote to the Ag-
ricultural Experiment Station at Mad
ison to get definite information, if
possible, as to whether quack grass
seed would terminate or not. This
question was raised by assertions
made by some that the seed of this
pest positively would not grow, to
which statement some color is lent
Quoted, of which Mr.. Rice had knowl-
edge, failed to produce termination Of
quack grass seed.
Mr.. Rice received a reply stating
that tests would be made and, after
waiting reasonable time, wrote in
again to ascertain the results of the
test. AS will be seen from the letter
hereto appended from the assistant
agronomist, Mr.. Stone, the tests SO
far conducted failed to produce ger
mination, but Mr.. Stone does not
think the test conclusive by any
means and intends to try again.
| Thinking that many of our farmer
readers especially would be interest
ed in this letter, we have decided to
publish it in it's entirety. 1t is as fol-
lows:
Madison, Wis, January, II, 1914
Prof O. E. Rice,
Ladysmith, Wisconsin.
Dear Sir-Your letter of January 5
has been received and I was under
the impression that l had written you
regarding the result of germin-
alton test of Quack grass seed. How
ever, I presume l overlooked it. We
were unable to get any results what
ever in the termination tests of seed
which we made at this Station.
There are several factors, however,
which may very easily have affected
the termination tests. The seed used
was from some which l had collect
ed myself this autumn. 1t is a we'll
known fact that many of the grass
seeds fail to terminate we'll a short
time after their production; in other
words, the seed needs a resting per-
iod after harvest before it will ger
inmate to the best advantage.
Your letter has brought the sub
ject again to mind and 1 shall have
| nt tcs do 1oiy nyrin nr{r,
of media for the test, such as blot
ting paper, cloth, and soil. | am firm
ly convinced in my own mind that
there are many instances in which
Quack grass seed will grow which
have been produced under our Wiscon-
sin conditions. Even if this were not
farm seeds coming from other sec
tiOns where Quack grass is common
and which contain the seeds of Quack
grass are very apt to infest the fields
where the seed is soWn. In fact, one
experience of our own here at the
Station Farm, shows this to be true.
Some years ago what is now known
as the Hungarian Bronze grass was
introduced in the Central States and
has proved to be valuable forage
grass. 1t seems almost impossible
however, to procure the seed of
Bronze grass which is not cOntaminat-
ed to a greater Or less extent with
the seeds of Quack grass. The Farm
Superintendent purchased a sufficient
amount of seed of the Bronze grass to
sow one of the horse paddocks on
the Station Farm. He was not suf-
ficiently familiar with the seeds of
the two grasses to know that there
was mixture and that plot has ever
since been infested with the Quack
grass. Farmers in other sections of
the state have had the same expert
ence
| One seed firm in Minneapolis has
even gone to the extent of advertis-
ing the seed of Quack grass for use
on sandy banks and other places
|
ly. I believe, therefore, that there
is no question that seed produced I'M
der favorable conditions and allowed
to reach mature state will germin-
ate we'll. The reason why We have
been unable to secure a termination
from these seeds is perhaps some
what difficult to explain, and yet may
be rather simple after ALL Not only
do these seeds require a resting per-
iod, but the length of time required
for the termination test varies with
the different kinds of seeds 1t may
therefore be possible that we did not
furnish the best conditions for sue
cessful termination tests of Quack
grass seed and for that reason | am
| planning to duplicate the test.
While l am fully convinced that
there are times when this Quack