156 THE BUSINESS OF FAEMING 



ment spent a year investigating the adulteration 

 of vetch seed, and the results of this investigation 

 were enough to work up the righteous indignation 

 of any one. Out of 303 samples examined, 187 or 

 62 per cent, were adulterated. Five samples did 

 not contain a single seed of the variety named and 

 others were mixed with other vetches. Of all the 

 vetch seed purchased as of a certain variety, but 

 55.9 per cent, was capable of germination. Do 

 you wonder then that the author can not write 

 upon this branch of the seed subject with compo- 

 sure? 



And within the past year the author contracted 

 with a prominent seed firm for them to grow 

 him one thousand bushels of pea seed at four 

 dollars per bushel, the same to be suitable for seed 

 purposes. When these seed came in and the 

 author examined them he found so great an un- 

 unif ormity in them that to plant them would mean 

 a loss of thousands of dollars. It was clear that 

 the seedsmen had practiced the " blend act" to the 

 limit, for the greater part of the seed were small 

 and immature. Of course the author rejected the 

 seed, yet the seedsman is contending that the seed 

 are the very best because they were all planted 

 from good seed stock, which, as we have shown, 

 means nothing where conditions necessary for the 

 proper development of seeds are lacking. 



We have written enough upon seeds and seed 

 selection to show the great importance of the sub- 

 ject as it pertains to the business of farming. 

 But there is another element as important as good 

 seed, and which further demonstrates the truth 



