Sced^ ^et ^ni^ 



at seed testini 



By WALDO C. L!NCOlN, Jr. 

 Seed Control Laboratotv 



M.-. Lincoln tcking notes on the dwarf mari- 

 golds in the field trials. 



THE YEAR 1927 marked a new 

 chapter in seed control. In No- 

 vember of that year the Massachusetts 

 Seed Law was created for the "im- 

 provement in the quality of seed 

 which are bought and sold in the 

 Commonwealth ..." 



Under the Law, certain regula- 

 tions must be met in the sale of 

 seeds in the State. For example, 

 vegetable and flower seed packages 

 must be properly labeled to indicate 

 the name and variety of seed. 



One of the functions of the Seed 

 Testing Laboratory is to determine 

 whether or not the variety claims 

 on the seed packages are true. 



These claims are checked by con- 

 ducting field trials. Samples of 

 seeds are actually planted in the field 

 to determine whether they will pro- 

 duce the plant indicated on the label 

 of the seed package. 



Seed Trials Invaluable 



How important is this work? Per- 

 haps not too much harm is done, you 

 may argue, if you plant white 

 Petunias and get pink or violet. The 

 market gardener, however, knows 

 only too well. He knows that he 

 cannot make a financial success of 

 his work if he plants late sweet corn 

 only to find that his seed was mis- 



Sample labeled French 



Breakfast found to be 80% ^-^ 

 off-type with 10% White 



Icicle type, 12% globe- \ 



shaped, 26% olive-shaped, ,>' 



30% tapered, and 2% l^^ 



purple color. . ^^ 



LA A 



■-I »\ ^ J, '' ^ ' ttZ. 



i m 3 



Check sample of the radish 

 ** variety French Breakfast. 



