The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1921-08-26
TALK TO FARMERS
FEED, SEED AND FERTILIZER
INSPECTION.
By. T.F, Peck.

The operation of the Tennessee De-
partment of Agricultures' division of
feed, seed and fertilizer inspection
reaches to the most remote sections Of
the State and affect directly every
feeder of live stock, every farmer in
the State. If the services offered by
this inspection were taken advantage
Of by all the people, many thousands
dollars void be saved to them annu-
ally, and at no cost for the service
is free.
Impure agricultural seeds have cost
the farmers of Tennessee every year
much more than can be estimated in
dollars and cents, and large part of
this great loss could have been pre-
ventd. None of the large seed dealers
in the State will buy Tennessee grown
red clover seed, but go to other states
for that seed, because 80 per cent of
the Tennesseer ed clover seed contains
Dodder (Lovevine), the worst enemy
with which the clover grower has to
contend. The Tennessee seed carry
this noXious weed because farmers
have not exercised proper care in
buying seed for planting, and have
sown weed seeds along with low
grade clover seed Farmers are too
often influenced by the low price
when they go to buy field seeds. Pur-
est seed are cheapest in the long run.
st is the duty of seed inspectors to
examine agricultural seed offered for
sale in the State, and whenever seed
below the standard required by law is
found it is the duty to prohibit its
sale, and if necessary, confiscate the
seed and prosecute the dealer. But
when we consider the vast territory
included in the State, and the fact
that only three travelling inspectors
are provided to cover all Of this terri
tory, it is readily seen that it is
physically impossible to reach all
points often enough. In consequence
many shipments of seed get by with
out being examined There is a rem
edy for this, but it does not seem to
be generally appreciated.
The State maintains a seed testing
laboratory and will inspect any sam
Piles of seed sent in by farmers.
Farmers should take advantage of
this and send samples to the State
Chemist before buying. The seed will
be tested and the farmer advised as
to their purity or impurity. Dealers
and consumers are asked to cooper
ate with the Department of Agricul-
ture by taking advantage of this SER
vice which tends to protect them
against fraud.
The consumers Of commercial feed
stuffs and commercial fertilizers have
at their command the services of the
same inspection Bureau, and the De-
partment asks the same cooperation
in regard to these commodities so
largely used by farmers, Many tons
of low grade feeds are shipped into
the State, and while it is probable.
that the greater part of these ship
ments are caught by the inspectors,
some of it gets by, and the consumer
who buys such feed is defrauded.
For the protection of the consum-
err, it is required by law that all pack
ages or bags of fertilizer be plainly
marked, giving the guaranteed chem
zeal analysis, in terms Of the valuable
constituents. In the case of feeds, it
is required that the names of all in
grediants used in making up the feed
be given.
If consumers would carefully study
this information. which is given on
tag attached to each bag of fertilizer
or feedstuff, they should be able to
select that which would best meet
their needs. 1t should be bourne in
mind that the brand often has no
relatio whatever to the quality of the
feed or fertilizer contained in a bag,
but the guaranteed chemicals analy-
sis and the list of constituents or in
gradients are usually true indications
Of what the bag contain.
As in the case of seeds, whenever a
former or feeder is in doubt as to the
quality of a feed or fertilizers, sam
plcs should be sent to the State Chem
ist of the Department of Agriculture.
who will analyze them free of charge.
1t is the intention of the Department
Of Agriculture to see that these laws,
which were primarily enacted for the
protection of the farmer, are obeyed
in Tennessee.