No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 279 



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AN ACT TO REGULATE THE SALE OF AGRICULTURAL SEEDS. 



Section 1. Eveiy lot of seeds of agiicuUural plants, whether in 

 bulk or in package, containing one poimd or more, and including the 

 seeds of cereals (except sweet corn), grasses, forage plants, vegeta- 

 bles, and garden plants, but not including those of trees, shrubs and 

 ornamental plants, which is sold, olTered or exposed for sale for seed 

 by any person or persons in Maine, shall be accompanied by a written 

 or printed guarantee of i(s percentage of purity, freedom from for- 

 eign matter: Provided, That mixtures may be sold as such when 

 the percentages of the various constituents are stated. 



Section 2. Dealeis may base their guarantees upon tests con- 

 ducted by themselves, their agents, or by the Director of the Maine 

 Agricultural Experiment Station: Provided, That such tests shall 

 be made under such conditions as the said Director may prescribe. 



Section 3. The results of all tests of seeds made by said Director 

 shall be published by him in the bulletins or reports of the Experi- 

 ment Station, together with the names of the person or persons from 

 whom the samples of seeds were obtained. The said director shall 

 also publish equitable standards of purity together with such other 

 information concerning agricultural seeds as may be of public 

 benefit. 



Section 4.' Any person or persons who shall sell, offer or expose 

 for sale or for distribution in this State agricultural seeds without 

 complying with the requirements of sections one and two of this 

 act, shall, on conviction in a court of competent jurisdiction, be 

 fined not to exceed one hundred dollars for the first offense, and 

 not to exceed two hundred dollars for each subsequent offense. 



Section 5. Any person or persons who shall, with intention to 

 deceive, wrongly mark or label any package or bag containing gar- 

 den or vegetable seeds or any other agricultural seeds, not includ- 

 ing those of trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants, shall be guilty of 

 a misdemeanor and upon conviction in a court of competent jurisdic- 

 tion shall be fined not to exceed one hundred dollars for the first 

 offense and not to exceed two hundred dollars for each subsequent 

 offense. 



Section 6. The provisions of this act shall not apply to any per- 

 son or persons growing or selling cereals and other seeds for food. 



Section 7. Whenever the Director of the Maine Agricultural Ex- 

 periment Station becomes cognizant of the violation of any of the 

 provisions of this act, he shall report such violation to the Secre- 

 of the Board of Agriculture, and said Secretary shall prosecute the 

 party or parties thus reported. 



Section 8. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are 

 hereby repealed. 



