Foreword 



The seed law in Massachusetts, which has been in operation for five years, 

 is enforced by the State Department of Agriculture. It has been the policy 

 to acquaint seed dealers with the provisions of the law, which has a two-fold 

 purpose. 



1. The true labeling of seeds will enable purchasers to know what 

 they are buying. 



2. A uniform compliance with the provisions of the seed law rela- 

 ting to the testing, analyzing, and sale of agricultural seeds should 

 do away with much unfair competition among seed dealers. 



For the most part, satisfactory cooperation has been received from dealers 

 handling agricultural seeds in this State, and it is felt that the operation of 

 the seed law has been instrumental in bringing about a more healthy condi- 

 tion regarding the sale of quality seeds in Massachusetts. It is the policy of 

 the Department of Agriculture to give special attention to those dealers and 

 distributors who have not shown any indication of cooperating, and to use 

 the police power of the Department if necessary to bring about a full com- 

 pliance with the provisions of the Massachusetts seed law. Hearings will be 

 held in cases where the tests and analyses made by the Seed Laboratory in 

 Amherst show that the label being used by the seed dealer indicates a much 

 higher quality of seed than the official tests. Further regulatory action will 

 be taken in cases where methods now being used to obtain a substantial com- 

 pliance with the seed law fail to bring about the desired results. 



