The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1913-11-07
(By II. Garman. Head of the I
Directions for Taking Seed Sample
for Testing.

Tor resting.
In order to get fair tests of samples
1t is necessary that seeds be to IN
from different parts of the bulk : Is
they represent A seed sampler p
convenience when samples are u, N
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, alslke
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 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, per
cent or more by weight of trefoil
| (Medicago lupulina) or sweet clover
(Melilotus alba and M. oficinale).
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, per
cent or more by weight of meadow fes-
cue (Festuca elatior pratensis), Eng.
fish rye grass Nolium perenne) or
italian rye grass O.. italicum).
Timothy: Adulterants, 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
hey 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
reeds are often sold with forage seeds
and would pass inspection under this
law excepting as they may be found in
Kentucky bluegrass, or timothy,
where the addition of the words, cor
my other seed or foreign substance"
cuts out all foreign seeds above 8
per cent. Below this percentage, how
aver, quantities of dodder and buck
aorn seeds may be sold in our mar.
tets without challenge. A law per
hitting the sale of dodder seeds up to
w per cent is all that the most care.
ess or Indifferent scotsman need ask
rs legal guaranty that he will not be
nolested. Our experieSe 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 to
secure conviction in case the pure
seed law has been violated. Amy one
familiar with legal procedure In our
courts will understand that the neces
sary proof cannot readily be secured
from samples taken by people who
are strangers to us and who have
personal, perhaps, a financial, interest