SEED INSPECTION 

 By F. A. McLaughlin 1 



This bulletin gives the results of analysis of the official seed samples collected 

 by the State Department of Agriculture, during the year 1937, from the open 

 markets in 86 towns and cities of Massachusetts and analyzed at the Seed Testing 

 Laboratory of the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station at Amherst. 

 This bulletin also contains results of field tests for trueness-to-type of 168 lots of 

 vegetable seeds and 103 lots of flower seeds together with analysis of the flower 

 seeds used in field tests; also notes on the methods used in cleaning locally pro- 

 duced onion seeds, amounts received, and value of the different grades as judged 

 by germination tests. 



From October 1, 1937 to December l, 2 1938, the Seed Laboratory received and 

 worked 2180 samples of seed, of which 874 were collected by the State Com- 

 missioner of Agriculture, 1143 were sent in by seedsmen and farmers, and 173 

 by the American Can Company for cooperative research. 



Classification of these samples, with the total number of tests involved, is 

 shown in the following summary. It will be noted that the total number of tests 

 required for the 2180 samples was 3040; 769 for purity and 2271 for germination. 



Nu ™ ber NUMBER OF TESTS 



Samples p u rit V Germination 



421 Field Crops for Purity and Germination 421 421 



89 Field Crops for Germination 89 



94 Lawn Mixtures for Purity only 94 



151 Lawn Mixtures for Purity, Germinations involving 



439 ingredients 151 439 



1 188 Vegetable Seeds for Germination 1 188 



103 Flower Seeds for Purity 103 



90 Flower Seeds for Germination 90 



20 Tree Seeds for Germination 20 



24 Tobacco Seed? for Germination 24 



2180 769 2271 



Explanation of the Tables 



In these tables the seeds are listed in alphabetical order by groups, each group 

 containing only those seeds, the sale of which is regulated by a definite section 

 of the Massachusetts Seed Law. Section 261-A of the Acts and Resolves of 

 1927, Chapter 274, defines the group from Alfalfa to Timothy, inclusive; Section 

 261-B. Mixtures; Section 261-C, Special Mixtures; and Section 261-D, Vegetables. 



The number preceding each analysis is for identification and reference. The 

 line to the right of the letter "L" gives information copied from the label; that 

 to the right of "F", what was found in the laboratory analysis. Attention is 

 called to certain irregularities by the following: 



The asterisk (*) shows violation in labeling. 



lAssisted by Miss Jessie L. Anderson, Technical Assistant. 



^Laboratory year formerly from October 1 to October 1— changed to correspond with fiscal year 

 beginning December 1. 



