REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF BOTANY AND AGRONOMY 



FOR 1916 



The present publication is the sixth annual report of seed tests made 

 by this department, and includes all samples received from July 1, 1915, 

 to July 1, 1916. During this time 1,345 samples in all have been tested: 

 total agricultural seed samples 973, samples fi'om inspectors 575, sam- 

 ples from individuals 398. Germination tests were made of 372 sam- 

 ples of vegetable seeds. Also 78,386 c.c. of tobacco seed were received 

 and cleaned for farmers of the State as against 59,362 c.c. received 

 in 1915. 



The farmers are taking an increasing interest in the use of better 

 seeds. The degree of their interest may be seen from the number of 

 seed samples they send from year to year to the Seed Laboratory for 

 examination. During 1914 individual farmers sent on their own initia- 

 tive 228 samples of seeds for examination ; during 1915 284 samples, 

 and during the year ending July 1, 3916, 405 samples. 



A shortage in funds compelled the commissioner to call the seed 

 inspectors out of the field about a month before their work was com- 

 pleted. This action reduced the total number of inspector's samples 



tot 



collected and greatly interfered wi||h the regulatory work of tbe Seed 

 Laboratory the past year. 



