SEED INSPECTION 81 



Studies of Flower Seeds 



Conducted by the Seed Laboratory in Cooperation with the Department of 

 Floriculture, Jessie L, Anderson and Professor Clark L,. Thayer 



For a third season the Department of Floriculture has cooperated with the 

 Seed Laboratory in a study to determine the quality of seed sold in retail seed 

 stores and in various other types of retail outlets. The seeds, which were collected 

 by the State Seed Inspectors, were weighed and analyzed for purity in the labora- 

 tory and were tested for germination and trueness-to-type under field conditions. 



Seeds of 172 lots including 37 different kinds of flowers and packeted by 28 

 different wholesalers were collected and classified as follows: 



Ageratum . . .' 6 Matthiola 1 



Alyssum 5 Mignonette 2 



\ s t er 14 Moonflower 1 



Bachelor Buttons 9 Morning Glory 6 



Balsam 1 Nasturtium 10- 



Calendula 13 Petunia 13 



Candytuft 3 Phlox 



Carnation 1 Poppy 1 



Centaurea Americana i Portulaca 6 



Chrysanthemum 1 Ricinus 1 



Cockscomb 2 Salpiglossis 2 



Cosmos 7 Salvia 2 



Daisy 1 Scabiosa 6 



Dianthus 3 Snapdragon 3 



Euphorbia 3 Spider Plant 2 



Gourds 1 Thunbergia 1 



Helichrysum (including Straw- Verbena 4 



flower) 2 Zinnia 16 



Larkspur 7 



Marigold 14 Total 172 



Most of the packets bore the common name of the flower, while a few 

 seedsmen added both the scientific and common names. Some listed the color, 

 while others gave no indication as to what color might be expected, although 

 several were marked "Mixed" as implied by the following quoted terminology 

 printed on the packets: Mixed, Finest Mixed, All Colors, All Sorts Mixed, Single 

 and Double, Mixed Colors, Annual Mixed, Giant Mixed, Choice Mixed, Dwarf 

 Mixed, Annual Mixed Colors, Special Mixture, Double Mixed, Mixture of All 

 Colors, Single and Double Mixed, Single Mixed, Special Mixed Annual, All 

 Colors Mixed, Prize Mixed and Gigantic Mixed. It was noted that the better 

 wholesalers gave much of the desired information, stating the price as well as 

 the approximate germination, the scientific and common names, and some descrip- 

 tion of the plant together with cultural directions, and the advised dates of sowing. 



The entire contents of each packet was weighed and analyzed for purity. 



The amount of seed found in any one packet or lot varied from less than one 

 gram (.011 gr.) to 27.678 grams. Several seedsmen failed to state retail prices 

 on packets. In most instances price per packet correlated with the amount of 

 seed contained, taking into consideration the wholesale prices of seed, improved 

 strains usually selling at higher prices than standard varieties and strains which 

 have been on the market for several years. 



