P.D. 123 5 



Sale of Seeds — Legislation 

 Massachusetts has never had a seed law. The result is that poor seed 

 from surrounding states which have a law find their way into Massachu- 

 setts markets. My recommendation for seed legislation after a few 

 minor changes, was passed by the legislature in the following form. 



An Act to regulate the sale of agricultural seeds. 

 Be it enacted, etc., as follotvs: 



Section 1. Section one of chapter ninety-four of the General Laws, 

 as amended by chapter one hundred and seventeen of the acts of nineteen 

 hundred and twenty-five, is hereby further amended by adding at the 

 end thereof the following: — 



"Agricultural seeds" or "agricultural seed", in sections two hundred 

 and sixty-one A to two hundred and sixty-one L, inclusive, the seeds of 

 Canada Blue grass, Kentucky Blue grass, Brome grass, fescues, millets, 

 tall meadow oat grass, orchard grass, red top, Bent grasses, Italian rye- 

 grass, perennial rye-grass, sorghum, Sudan grass, timothy, alfalfa, alsike 

 clover, red clover, white clover, Canada field peas, cowpeas, soybeans, 

 vetches, and other grasses and forage plants, buckwheat, flax, rape, bar- 

 ley, field corn, oats, rye, wheat, and other cereals, mangels, onions and 

 vegetables which are sold, offered or exposed for sale within this com- 

 monwealth for use for seeding purposes therein. 



"Noxious weed seeds", in sections two hundred and sixty-one A to 

 two hundred and sixty-one L, inclusive, the seeds of quack grass (Agro- 

 pyron Repens), Canada thistle (Cirsium Arvense), dodder species (Cus- 

 cuta Spp.) and wild mustard (Brassica Arvensis). 



"Weed seeds", in sections two hundred and sixty-one A to two hundred 

 and sixty-one L, inclusive, all seeds other than agricultural seeds as de- 

 fined in this section. 



"Inert matter", in sections two hundred and sixty-one A to two hun- 

 dred and sixty-one L, inclusive, all foreign matter other than seeds. 



"Lot", in sections two hundred and sixty-one A to two hundred and 

 sixty-one L, inclusive, contents of any container, open or sealed, from 

 which or in which agricultural seeds are sold, offered or exposed for sale. 



Section 2. Said chapter ninety-four is hereby further amended by 

 inserting after section two hundred and sixty-one, under the heading 

 "Agricultural Seeds", the following twelve new sections: — 



Secion 261A. Every lot of agricultural seeds of ten pounds or more, 

 except as otherwise provided in sections two hundred and sixty-one B to 

 two hundred and sixty-one L, inclusive, shall have affixed thereto, in a 

 conspicuous place, on the exterior of the container of such agricultural 

 seeds, a plainly written or printed tag or label in the English language, 

 stating : 



(a) The commonly accepted name of such agricultural seeds. 



(b) The approximate percentage, by weight, of purity; meaning, the 

 freedom of such agricultural seeds from inert matter and from other 

 seeds distinguishable by their appearance. 



(c) The approximate total percentage, by weight, of weed seeds. 



(d) The name and approxim.ate number per ounce of each kind of 

 noxious weed seeds, which are present, singly or collectively, as follows: 

 (1) in excess of one seed in each five gram.s of seeds of grasses, alfalfa 

 and clovers; (2) in excess of one seed in each twenty-five grams of millets, 

 rape, Sudan grass and other seeds of similar size not specified in sub- 

 division (1) or (3) of this paragraph; (3) in excess of one seed in each 

 hundred grams of wheat, oats, rye, barley, buckwheat, vetches, soybeans, 

 cowpeas and other seeds as large or larger than wheat. 



(e) The approximate percentage of germination of such agricultural 

 seed together with the month and year said seed was tested. 



(f ) Name and address of the vendor of such agricultural seed. 

 Section 26 IB. Mixtures of agricultural seeds of ten pounds or more 



