1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 217 



"This seed I shall mix with the old seed, so as to have a 

 certain percentage of germinating seed in it, but it will go 

 as new seed." It is well known that onion seed loses its 

 germinating quality in four years, and even in three years 

 under unfavorable circumstances, and many seeds are good 

 for nothing after two years ; but those seeds are mixed by 

 unscrupulous dealers with new, and sold as new seed to the 

 average gardener. He is in a measure satisfied ; he expects 

 a good deal will not come up, and he makes no complaint. 

 This proposed legislation would prevent unscrupulous dealers 

 from keeping seed until it is worthless, and then selling it 

 as new seed. 



The Chairman. When the question of fertilizers was 

 brought to the attention of the farmers of Massachusetts, 

 we met the very same objections that we meet here to-day as 

 to the increased cost and the impossibility of getting inspec- 

 tion ; but we found it a very simple thing to obtain what we 

 asked for, and the farmers of Massachusetts were saved 

 thousands of dollars which had been thrown away before. 

 The effect of the law was to drive out worthless imitations, 

 with hardly an effort on the part of the farmers of Massa- 

 chusetts. Such a law will be a check upon the dealer from 

 the time it is passed. Certainly there are but few of us 

 who have not been taken in by poor seed ; and it has taken 

 us years to eradicate from our farms the weeds and foul 

 stuff that such seed has brought us. I do not know whether 

 the resolution will cover the point, but it seems to me that 

 it is a step in the right direction. I hope we shall take 

 action in the matter. 



Mr. Cusiiman. I would like to know to what extent it is 

 intended that this proposed law should be carried. No law 

 is of any practical effect, as a rule, unless there is some 

 penalty attached to it. There are some men, especially 

 those engaged in market gardening, who would be glad to 

 pay largely if they could know that their seed had a 

 guarantee from some official in whom they had confidence ; 

 there are others who perhaps would not care to go to that 

 expense. Again, it might be unfortunate in its operation. 

 For instance ; in my own case, I sell a limited quantity of 

 seed corn every- y ear J I sell it in good faith ; it is just such 



