158 ANNUAL REPOETS OF DEPAETMENT OP AGEICULTUEE. 



there is no way to prevent the importation of adulterated hairy 

 vetch seed, as it is not subject to the seed-importation act. More 

 than 1,000,000 pounds of the crimson-clover seed imported during 

 May and June, 1915, germinated less than 62 per cent, the lowest 

 germination determined being only 29 per cent. While much of this 

 dead seed may be mixed with better seed before going to the con- 

 sumer, it will eventually all be paid for by the farmer and seeded in 

 the vain hope of securing a stand. 



Ground weed seeds. — An examination of the commercial practice 

 of grinding screenings used in compounding mixed feeds including 

 molasses feeds showed that the methods regularly employed in the 

 best mills insure the killing of practically all weed seeds contained 

 in the screenings. There appears to be no reason to suppose, there- 

 fore, that the weed seeds in screenings can not be economically and 

 effectively ground. 



Sugar-beet seed. — The difficulty in procuring beet seed because 

 of European conditions has aroused the seed growers and sugar com- 

 panies in this country to the importance of growing our own seed. 

 Some efforts have been made in this direction for the past 20 years, 

 but this year will show a scattered acreage from Michigan through 

 to the Pacific coast. A considerable portion of it is grown purely 

 for experimental purposes, to determine whether or not beet seed of 

 a good quality can be grown at a reasonable price. This bureau is 

 cooperating with the sugar companies in this work both to improve 

 the quality of the seed and the beets and to improve the methods 

 of seed production. 



