The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-08-25
FEED. SEED AND
FERTILIZER INSPECTION
(By T. F. Peck, Commissioner o
(Agriculture.)

agriculture.
The operation of the Tennessee
Department of Agriculture's division
of feed, seed and fertilizer inspection
reaches to the most remote sections
of the state and effect directly every
feeder Of livestock, every farmer in
the state. If the services offered by
this inspection were taken advantage
of by the people, many thousand
dollars would be saved to them an
nually and at no cost, for the SER
vice is free.
Impure agricultural seeds have
cost the farmers Of Tennessee every
year much more than can be esti-
mated in dollars and cents, and a
large part Of this great loss could
have been prevented. None of the
seed dealers in the state will buy
TenneSsee+grown red clover Iseed,
but go to other states for that seed
because 80 per cent. Of the Tonnes
see red clover seed contain dodder
(loverine), the worst enemy with
which the clover grower has to con-
tend. 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. Purest
seed are the cheapest in the long
run.
1t 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 their duty to pro-
hibit its sale and, if necessary, con-
fiscate 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 territory, it is readily seen
that it is physically impossible to
reach all points often enough. In
consequence. many shipments Of seed
get by without being examined. There
is remedy for this, but it does not
seem to be generally appreciated.
The state maintains a seed-testing
laboratory and will inspect any
samples sent in BY farmers. Farm
ers should take advantage of this
and send samples to the state chem
list before buying. The seed will be
tested and the farmer advised as to
their purity or impurity. Dealers
and consumers are asked to CO.
operate with the Department of Ag-
rlculture by taking advantage of
this service to protect them against
fraud.
The consumers Of commercial
feedstuffs and commercial fer
tilizers have at their command the
services Of the same inspection bu-
reau, and the department. 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 such shipments are caught
by the inspectors, some of it gets
by, and the consumer who buys such
feed is defrauded.
For the protection of the con-
sumner, it is required by law that all
packages or bags Of fertilizer be
plainly marked, giving the guar
anteed chemical analysis in terms of
the valuable constituents. In the
case of feeds it is required that the
names of all Ingredients used in
making up the feed is given.
II consumers would carefully |
study this information, which is
given on a 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
borne in mind that the brand name |
often has no relation whatever to
the quality of the feed or fertilizer
contained in the bag, but the guar
anteed chemical analysis and the
list of constituents or ingredients
are usually true Indications of what
the bags contain.
As in the case Of seeds, whenever
a farmer or feeder is in doubt as
to the quality Of feed or fertilizer,
samples should be sent to the state
chemist of the Department of Agri-
culture, who will analyze them free
OF charge. 1t is the intention of the
Of Agriculture to see
that these laws, which were pri-
marily enacted for the protection of
the farmer. are obeyed in Tennes-
see.