The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-11-11
Directions for Taking Seed Samples
for Testing.

1t is necessary that seeds be taken
from different parts Of the bulk lots
they represent. A seed sampler is a
convenience when samples are taken
from sacks. The bulks should be
thoroughly mixed before samples are
taken.
Samples of the following seeds
should in each case weigh two ounces:
Red clover, sapling clover, alsike
clover. crimson clover, sweet clover,
alfalfa. orchard grass, English blue
grass and rye grass.
Samples of the following should
weigh one ounce in each case: Ken
lucky bluegrass, Canada bluegrass,
red top and timothy.
Put all samples in stout paper en-
velopes. Ordinary envelopes when
filled with seeds are often broken by
the stamps used in postoffices and let
the seeds escape. Put your complete
address on each envelope sent US, and
address it to us as follows:
Division of Entomology and Botany,
Kentucky Agricultural Experiment
Station, Lexington, KY.
In writing to US, state whether you
want a purity test, a termination test,
or both.
Tests are made free of charge, and
are given attention in the order of
their receipt. Only purity tests are
made for people living outside of Ken
lucky, except by special request.
Inspection.
The subject of seed inspection is so
closely associated with seed testing
that it is difficult to treat them sep
arately. We have an imperfect law in
Kentucky applying only to certain
forage seeds, which provides for in
spections to be made by the station.
The forage seeds to be inspected are
the following, given together with the
adulterants specified in the law.
Red clover: Adulterants, 5 per
cent or more by weight of trefoil
(Medicago lupulina) or sweet clover
(Melilotus alba and M. officinale).
Alfalfa: Adulterants, same as for
red clover.
Kentucky bluegrass: Adulterants,
5 per cent or more by weight of Cana
da bluegrass, red top chaff or seed, or
any other seed or foreign substance.
Orchard grass: Adulterants, pei
cent or more by weight of meadow fes.
cue (Festuca elatior pratensis), Eng
lish rye grass (Lolium perenne) OF
Italian rye grass q. italicum).
Timothy: Adulterants, 5 per cent
or more by weight of any other seed
or foreign substance.
The adulterants actually named, ii
will be noted, are not calculated to do
the farmer any harm, except as they
defraud him by substituting a cheap
seed for more valuable one. And
this mere substitution of one seed for
another would not be so bad were it
not that these adulterants are gen
orally obtained from abroad and are
likely not to be first rate seeds OF
their kind. Yet if they terminate well
they furnish some forage and then die
out, leaving the farmers no worse off
except that he has lost some time and
| money.
Large percentages of noxious weed
seeds are often sold with forage seeds
and would pass inspection us,der this
law excepting as they may be found in
| Kentucky bluegrass, or timothy,
where the addition of the words, cor
any other seed or foreign substance"
cuts out all foreign seeds above
per cent. Below this percentage, how
ever, quantities of dodder and buck
horn seeds may be sold in our mar
kets without challenge. A law per
hitting the sale of dodder seeds up to
Az per cent is all that the most care
less or Indifferent scotsman need ask
as legal guaranty that he will not be
molested. Our experience in seed
analysis constantly suggests the i'm
portance to our farmers of absolutely
prohibiting the. sale of seeds with
which dodder, broom-rape seeds. or
wild onion bulbs are mixed in any
percentage.
No samples are tested under the law
! except such as have been taken by
authorized agents of the station. AS
already stated, we test any seeds sent
to us, but this is solely with the object
of helping those sending the samples
They may be properly taken or not
We assume no responsibility excepting
as to the correctness of the analysis
In other words, while we test any
seeds sent to Us, our inspections OF
seeds apply only to stock of which we
have personal knowledge. For this
purpose samples are taken by US from
stock offered for sale, and are sub
sequently tested in the seed laboratory
of the station. We can thus certify
as to who offered the seeds for sale
and to all other details necessary tc
secure conviction in case the pure
seed law has been violated. Any one
familiar with legal procedure in oul
courts will understand that the neces
sary proof cannot readily be secured
from samples taken by people WHIT
are strangers to us and who haya !
personal, perhaps, financial, interes
| in proving some one else in the wrong
We must know the history, as fal
as this is practicable, of the stool