DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 90 



garden could be much more efficiently managed if it were possible to 

 have a larger greenhouse, especially for starting plants in the early spring 

 and for over-wintering tender sorts. 



Although reduced in numbers on account of the war, the Botanical 

 Seminar has continued very actively at work. Two public addresses were 

 given the past year under its auspices, viz.: in the autumn by Dr. E. C. 

 Stakman, Professor of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, on 

 "Biologic Forms of Cereal Rusts," and in May by Professor H. H. Bartlett 

 of the Department of Botany, University of Michigan on "The Village 

 and Jungle Life of the Sumatran Batak". Both lectures were intensely 

 interesting. 



Respectfully submitted, 



E. A. BESSEY, 

 Professor of Botany. 

 East Lansing, June 30, 1919. 



REPORT OF THE SEED LABORATORY. 



Mr. A. M. Brown, Secretary, State Board of Agriculture, East Lansing, 

 Michigan. 

 Dear Sir — I transmit herewith the report of Miss B. A. Hollister, Seed 

 Anah'st. 



Respectfully, 

 E. A. BESSEY, 



Professor of Botany. 

 Dr. E. A. Bessey, East Lansing, Michigan. 



Dear Sir: — I have the honor to present to you, the report of the work 

 of the Seed Laboratory for the year ending June 30, 1919. 



Yours very truly, 



B. A. HOLLISTER, 

 State Seed Analyst. 



The work of the seed laboratory was carried on as usual during the 

 past year, in spite of the unsettled conditions due to the epidemic of in- 

 fluenza and the readjustment resulting from the signing of the armistice. 



Shipments of seed coming into the State from other states have caused 

 us a great deal of trouble. This is true of other states as well, and a 

 movement has been started to get a federal law which will take care of 

 interstate shipments. At present nothing can be done in this State, and 

 not very much in other states. Three or four firms have been the of- 

 fenders, and have succeeded in placing in this State a large quantity of 

 very poor seed. A great many samples were sent to the seed laboratory- 

 and all of these seemed to be from the same lot of seed. This applies 

 only to samples of seed from the firms in question. Samples from other 

 dealers were largely up to standard. It would be very desirable if farmers 

 could be urged to buy seed either of their local dealer or from any 

 other firms which are known to be reliable. Many of them buy from mail 

 order houses and neglect to send a sample for analysis, thus filling some of 

 their fields with a great uantity of weeds, some of which are not only 

 undesirable but very noxious. 



In connection with the foregoing I might suggest that it is unfortunate 

 that we are unable to send men out to inspect seed at the time when most 

 of it is being sold at retail. This would help to eliminate some of the poor 

 lots of seed which are sent into the State. 



