CHAPTER XI 



PRINCIPLES OF SEED TESTING 



OWING to the fact that weed seeds are regularly intro- 

 duced to farms through the medium of agricultural 

 seeds, the scientific examination or analysis of the 

 latter is intimately connected with the eradication of 

 weeds. The value of such examinations has of late 

 years been fully recognised by all civilised countries, 

 most of which now possess official seed-testing stations. 

 The whole question dates from about 1869, when 

 much information as to the dishonourable manner in 

 which seeds were treated and sold was made public 

 and freely discussed. 



Seed-testing Stations. It may serve a useful purpose 

 to quote here a page from an article by Professor 

 Johnson i 1 



" Although the credit of starting the first Seed- 

 testing Station must be given to Nobbe, measures had 

 been taken as long ago as 1816 in Switzerland to 

 suppress fraud in the seed trade. Thus an inspector 

 had the right of entry into a seed shop or warehouse 

 for inspection of the seeds on sale, punishment follow- 

 ing detection of fraud. In England in 1869 the 

 Adulteration of Seeds Act was passed, making it penal 

 to kill or dye seeds. The Royal Horticultural Society 

 of England did much to expose the corruption which 

 had crept into the seed trade. In its second Report 



i Science Progress, Jan. 1907: "The Principles of Seed Testing," by T. 

 Johnson, D.Sc., Professor of Botany in the Royal College of Science, Dublin. 



353 Z 



