426 APPENDIX III 



HUNGARY 



The Rural Police Act xii. of 1894 imposes a penalty up to 

 200 crowns (^8, 6s. 8d.) on any person who offers for sale any 

 clover or lucerne seed which is not absolutely free from Dodder. 

 The result of the passing of this law is that seed merchants 

 prefer to sell seeds which have been examined and bear the 

 official seal. This seal is affixed to the package after examina- 

 tion at a Government Seed-testing Station, of which there are 

 several in the country. The object of these stations is to 

 exercise control over the trade in seeds and other vegetable 

 products, and to protect the interests of farmers against fraud 

 and adulteration ; to make experiments as to germination, &c. ; 

 and to identify weeds and weed seeds submitted to them. An 

 Act passed in 1895 imposes penalties to the extent of two 

 months' imprisonment, or fines up to 600 crowns (^25), on 

 any one who adulterates agricultural products, or advertises or 

 sells material for adulterating purposes, or sells adulterated 

 products, or who sells agricultural products under a false de- 

 scription. All seeds sold in quantities exceeding 10 kilograms 

 (22 Ib.) must be sold under a declaration by the seller as to 

 their real name, variety, and origin, and as to the percentage of 

 pure seeds and germinating power expressed by one definite 

 figure. Various regulations govern the " control " or testing of 

 seeds at the official seed-testing stations. 



SWITZERLAND 



The Government have established a system whereby firms 

 of seed merchants, on payment of an annual subscription, can 

 be registered as maisons controlees. Such firms contract to 

 deliver to their customers a gratuitous certificate which gives 

 them the right to have their purchases tested at one of the 

 Government stations free of charge, and they undertake to 

 indemnify the purchaser should the seeds fall short of their 

 description. The guarantee furnished by the " controlled firms " 

 includes the identity, purity, and germinating capacity of the 

 seeds, together with absence of adulteration and of the seeds of 

 noxious weeds. With regard to the latter, the firms especially 

 guarantee a minimum proportion of authentic and pure seeds 



