Agricultural Experiment Station; Prof. F. W. Card, horticulturist 

 of the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station, and Prof. W. R. 

 Lazenby, professor of horticulture in Ohio State University. 



The committee met at Washington, D. C., January 20, 1897, and for- 

 mulated the rules for seed testing given in this circular. In this work 

 they were aided by replies to a circular of inquiry received from officers 

 of some 25 experiment stations which had engaged in seed investiga- 

 tions. While the rules thus adopted are regarded as tentative and 

 may hereafter need more or less modification, it is nevertheless believed 

 that they will greatly aid in systematizing seed investigations in this 

 country and contribute to the establishment of methods by which pur- 

 chasers of seeds throughout the country may be protected from fraud. 



The rules for seed testing as adopted by the committee, together with 

 the accompanying blanks for reports and a description of the approved 

 apparatus, are submitted with the recommendation that they be pub- 

 lished as Circular No. 34 of this Office. 



Respectfully, A. C. TRUE, 



Director. 



Hon. CHAS. W. DABNEY, JR., 



Assistant Secretary of Agriculture. 



RULES FOR SEED TESTING. 



Adopted by the committee of the Association of American Agricultural Colleges and 

 Experiment Stations January 23, 1897. 



(1) Sending samples. Every sample for test should be sent to the 

 station in a securely fastened package accompanied by a statement cer- 

 tifying to the fairness of the sample, its source, etc. Blanks for this 

 purpose will be furnished by the station upon application. In case of 

 guaranteed seed, the sample must be taken in accordance with direc- 

 tions given in the sampling blank No. 2. 



(2) Purity test. All purity tests shall be made by weight from fair, 

 average samples of seed. The minimum quantities to be used for this 

 determination are named below and must be so drawn as to secure a 

 thoroughly representative sample. 



One gram: Agrostis spp., the Poas, yellow oat grass, tobacco. 



Two grams: Bermuda grass, velvet grass, timothy, meadow foxtail, 

 crested dog's tail, orchard grass, sweet vernal grass, alsike clover, 

 white clover, Umbelliferae, and all the fescues except meadow fescue. 



Three grams : All grass seed not enumerated above. 



Five grams: Melilotus, Medicago spp., millet, lettuce, and all species 

 of clover seed except white and alsike. 



Ten grams: Crucifera3, flax, and Lespedeza. 



Thirty grams: Buckwheat, Yicia spp., Lathyrus spp., beet' 4 balls," 

 esparsette, lentils, sunflower, teosinte, serradella, cucurbits, and all 

 cereals except corn. 



