The record-union., 1898-01-03
SEED TESTS.
WORK OF THE GOVERNMENT
AGRICULTURAL BUREAU.
Attention Called to Some OF the
Evils Of Imported Seed and
It's Adulterati0n.

"The most important thing in agra-
culture is the seed which the farnie.s
plant" says Gilbert H. Hicks, IN
charge of seed inspection in the Deparl-
ment Of Apriculture Farmers are at
a disadvantage in this matter OF Duy
ing seed. because they cannot tell by
the look of the grains whether they are
fresh or If they are exactly the hAlu
which they desire. In case the seeue
are bad each farmer not only loses
the money paid out but also the time
and labor expended in seeding, as II Is
often too late to start another crop.
On the tests of this department many
seed dealers throughout the country
have voluntarily guaranteed their
seeds.
There has been great agitation in
this country about the Russian thistle,
which has spread over good share OF
the Northwest and Congress was asked
to appropriate S1.OOO,OO0 for the pur-
pose of exterminatdng the pest. 1t has
been proven that the obnoxious weed
came here in flaxseed The wild onion
which grows around the National Cap
ital and gets its flavor into the milk
and butter was spread through winter
oats. In fact, nearly all weeds are de-
veloped by being mixed with good seed
and thus are planted by the farmers
themselves.
THE work of this division has as its
first object the creation of a. sentiment
among farmers and others planting
seed in favor of good seed, SO that they
will know the difference between the
bad and the good and be willing to
pay a reasonably larger price in order
to obtain that which is best.
TO CHECK DISHONEST DEALERS.
"a second object of this division is
to place a check on seed dealers SO
that they cannot sell poor seed to farm
ers, as is SO often done at the present
time. For example, we have just re-
ceived a lot of samples to be examined.
One is seed and fruit of the German
coffee berry, which is sold as novelty
at 10 cents for a small package. When
We tested it we found the seed to be
in reality the soga bean, which costs
only 10 cents a pound. The above is
a fair sample of the way some seed
men impose upon the public Their
catalogues are full of advertisements
of new and rare and wonderful varie-
ties which turn out to be fraudulent.
Another is a sample of Kentucky
blue grass which was sold as first class
seed, and which should have sprouted
from 90 to 90 per cent, whereas only 10
per cent. sprouted. 1t is thus seen
that unscrupulous seedmen do not hes
ttate to palm off old stock which has
become useless.
Another late sample is that of al
falfa clover which is most extensively
grown in the West, particularly in the
Rocky Mountain regions 1t was sent
to this country from Turkestan, and on
being tested was found to contain near
ly 1900 seeds Of dodder to the pound
Dodder is a little plant that resembles
silk, and which lives by wrapping itself
around the sprouting clover and suck
ing away its vitality. 1t is one of the
very worst weeds introduced into this
country. This seed is very small and
reSels Nles pieces Of dirt, so that only
expe can detect it's presence 1t is
our Auey TO warn the people against it.
SEEDS FOR ADULTERATING
CLOVER.
Another of the lot is a sample Of
red clover tailings from Germany,
which is sold to American dealers at
- CSulS d pOuHu 10 use IN dQulIer-
ating clover seed. This sample con-
tanned but per cent. of clover seed
and the balance is weed seed
There is a plant which belongs to
the clover family resembling the clover
very much, but which is of very little
use as a forage plant, called the yell
low trefoil.' The seeds of this plant
resemble closely in size, shape and
color those of the alfalfa and other
clover The seed is shipped into this
country in large quantities for the sole
purpose of aduiterating clover seed.
Trefoil seed is very much cheaper than
is clover seed, and the dealers do not
seem to have any trouble in selling 1t
for clover seed.
The Secretary Of Agriculture offers
to test seed free for anybody who sends
here. Farmers or seedmen may avail
themselves Of this opportunity and the