The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-08
MOhIer Declares Kansas Must
Have squire Seed" Law.
Warns Farmers at Aggie Meet
Against INFESTED Products.
WOULD MEAN BIG SAVING
Now Farmers Are Forced to
Test Their Own.
State Gets Seeds Rejected in
States Having Law.

Manhattan, Kan. Feb. S.-Declar-
ing that Kansas has become dump
ing ground for bad seeds, ]. G.
Mohler, secretary of the state board
of agriculture. urged a state pure seed
law, in an address here today before
the annual meeting of the Kansas
Crop Improvement association.
Secretary Mohler, asserting that I'M
tested seeds mean poor crops and
consequent disappointment to the
farmer, advocated a statewide cam
paign to demonstrate the necessity for
good seeds.
There is no question that Kansas
needs a so-called pure seed law,
Mohler said. LAS it is Kansas may
be considered a dumping ground for
bad seeds. The states or the four
sides of US have seed laws. A nat
ural conclusion is that seeds rating so
low in quality as to be practically I'M
saleable in neighboring states may be
marketed in Kansas as Al, inasmuch
such practices, and neither have we
such protection with respect to pur-
chaSes within the state. In our neigh
boring states the farmers know what
they are buying, for with all seeds
offered for sale must go a statement of
purity and germinability. 1t is not too
much to require that vendors of seeds
sell them for just what they are.
THE effect of a seed law should re-
suit in increasing quality and yields
of crops, and serve as a protection
against the introduction and spread
of noXioUs weeds, which are a bane of
agriculture. Poor seeds mean poor
crops. Foul seeds pollute the land
and mean trouble for years to come.
Fertile soil, thru tillage, sunshine and
showers, never atone for the absence
of quality in seeds. Men do not reap
alfalfa from sowing dodder, nor do
they harvest wheat from sowing
chess.
Big Saving Insured.
without good seed there can be no
successful agriculture. Only seeds
known to be true to name, free from
impurities and of strong vitality should
be used. Farmers want that kind of
seed, but experience shows that with
out legal warranties they often do not
get that kind. Seed represented as
good may prove to be bad. With
seed law the farmers of Kansas, whose
annual seed bill amounts to $25,0OO,-
600 would save an enormous amount
of money now wasted, and would have
adequate protection against the pres
ent practices of interruptions seed
dealers. Fortunately Kansas has seed
dealers not in that class, and these
favor practical seed law.
"a law is needed. At the same time
! the greatest benefit will come thru
! education. The law would be useful
| instrument in education. Oklahoma
! has had a seed law for nearly three
years, and its seed analyst writes:
Many Test Their Own.
! " Hundreds of our farmers are test
! ing their own seed and often send
samples to us for analysis and test,
who had never thought of testing their
own seed before our law went into
| effect
because of the fundamental I'm
portance of good seeds in profitable
production" Secretary Mohler contin-
ued, land because of the further fact
that the acquiring of good seeds is
within the farmers control, an in
| tense Well-Organized state campaign
| should be initiated to demonstrate the
! vital necessity of good seeds and how
| to be sure of the quality and purity
of the seeds that are sown.
| IT hope to see such a program
adopted by this association. In addi-
tion, our farmers should more extern
sively avail themselves of the facilities
of our well-equipped seed-testing lab
| oratory at the Agricultural college.
The work is done free of charge and
the laboratory will make tests both as
to purity and termination and do so
accurately and rapidly. The labora-
tory was established to raise the gen.
eral standard of seeds used in Kansas,
and our. farmers should take advan-
tage of the opportunities thus af-
forded-
| by so doing the purity and viabil-
| ity of seeds for sowing can be deter
| mined even tho we have no statute,
/ but a seed law is something Kansas
must have if she is to be abreast of
the times in developing her agricul-
ture and protecting those engaged in
it against fraud and imposition The
importance of good seeds cannot be
accomplished. and all legitimate
agencies should be requisitioned to the
end that our farmers may have the
best available. for the best is none too
GoOd."