SEED INSPECTION 



MASSACHUSETTS VEGETABLE SEED STANDARDS FOR 1939 



SECTION 261D (b) of the Seed Law requires that a set of standards for 

 germination of vegetable seeds be determined each year by the Director of the 

 Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station and approved by the Commissioner 

 of Agriculture. The following set of standards for 1939 has been so determined 

 and approved: 



GERMINATIOf 



STANDARD 



% 



KIND OF SEED 



Asparagus 65 



Beans 



Large — seeded Limas 70 



Small — seeded Limas 80 



Other varieties, not includ- 

 ing Limas 80 



Beets 65 



Broccoli 75 



Brussels Sprouts 70 



Cabbage 75 



Carrot 55 



Cauliflower 75 



Celeriac 55 



Celery 55 



Chard, Swiss 65 



Chicory 65 



Citron 65 



Collard 75 



Corn, sweet 75 



Cress, curled 70 



Cress, water 40 



Cucumber 80 



Dandelion 55 



Dill 60 



Egg Plant 60 



Endive 70 



Kale 75 



KIND OF SEED 



GERMINATION 

 STANDARD 



% 



Kohl Rabi 75 



Leek 60 



Lettuce 80 



Melons 



Muskmelon 80 



Watermelon 70 



Okra 50 



Onions 75 



Parsley 60 



Parsnip 60 



Peas 80 



Peppers 60 



Pumpkin 75 



Radish 80 



Rutabaga 75 



Sage 60 



Salsify 70 



Spinach (not including New 



Zealand) 60 



Squash 75 



Summer Savory 60 



Sweet Basil 50 



Sweet Fennel 60 



Sweet Marjoram 65 



Thyme 60 



Tomato 80 



Turnip 80 



In the enforcement of the law no tolerances will be allowed below the minimum 

 standards adopted. 



"APPROXIMATE" 



Section 261 J. The word "approximate" as used in sections two hundred and 

 sixty-one A to two hundred and sixty-one L, inclusive, shall be defined in rules 

 and regulations promulgated by the director. 



On account of the unavoidable variations which occur between two analyses 

 or tests and likewise between the label statements and those found by subsequent 

 analysis, it is necessary to make allowance for these expected variations. The 

 allowance or tolerances permitted under the meaning of the word "approximate" 

 as applied to both purity and germination statements before a lot of seed is 

 reported, published, or indicated as being below the standard of guarantee or 

 markings, shall be those provisionally defined in the formulae adopted by the 

 Association of Official Seed Analysts and found in the "Rules of Seed Testing", 

 except that in the enforcement of Section 261D of the Seed Law, no tolerances will 

 be allowed below the minimum germination standards adopted. 



