130 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



PURE SEED FOR THE FARMER. 



Great profrress has been made in the nialter of securing good seed 

 for the farmer. The early hiboratory work inaugurated has been 

 gradually extended until the present time, and the laboratory located 

 in Washington, together with the five branch laboratories main- 

 tained in connection with the State agricultural colleges and experi- 

 ment stations, has tested more than 120,000 samples of seeds for 

 purity or germination or both. 



This work, continued from year to year, has resulted in a much 

 better understanding of the nature and value of pure seeds and has 

 added much to the upbuilding of agriculture. As a result of the 

 information contained in publications on adulterated seeds the .sale 

 of adulterated alfalfa and clover seed has practically ceased, and the 

 quantitv of other adulterated forage-plant seed on the market is now 

 small in comparison with what it was when these publications were 

 undertaken. 



Among the results to Avhich the work of this laboratory and those 

 of the State experiment stations have contributed is an awakened 

 interest in better seeds on the part of farmers. This is evidenced by 

 the steady increase in the proportion of high-grade seeds on the 

 market each year. Seedsmen are now taking an active interest in 

 seed testing. They are themselves learning to test seeds, and many 

 firms have fitted up seed-testing laboratories of their own. 



The seed-importation act passed at the last session of Congress 

 will prevent the few unscrupulous seed dealers from bringing into 

 the United States low-grade forage-plant seeds which do not find a 

 sale in foreign countries, but which have previously been imported 

 into the United States in considerable quantities. 



During the past year the seed-testing laboratories have been con- 

 tinued. The work has been carried on along lines similar to that of 

 previous years. The investigational work has been divided between 

 studies on the physiology of germination and the critical examination 

 of closely related seeds with a view to their easy recognition. Forage- 

 plant seeds, including redtop and hairy vetch, have been examined 

 for the presence of adulterants. Samples of seejis submitted for the 

 purpose of analysis have been examined and reports on their quality 

 have been made to the persons sending the samples. Branch labora- 

 tories have been opened in cooperation with the agricultural experi- 

 ment stations in California and Louisiana, and those in Oregon. 

 Missouri, and Indiana have been continued. 



ARLINGTON FARM AND HORITCULTURAL INVESTIGATIONS. 



The area developed as the Arlington farm was transferred from 

 the War Department to the Department of Agriculture in 1900. The 



