14 



NATURE STUDY REVIEW [8:1— Jan., 1912 



seed dealers in their search for increase or profit sometimes adul- 

 terate their good seeds with seeds of inferior quality. They may 

 also add to their commercial seed weed seeds which on account 

 of their similarity to the commercial crop seeds are not detected 

 by the average buyer. Alfalfa and clover, for instance, are 

 sometimes adulterated with the seed of sweet clover and yellow 

 trefoil. Unless one knows the differences between these seeds 

 it is impossible to detect this adulteration. It is even possible, 

 though rarely perhaps, to find in commerce evident adultera- 

 tions in which weed seeds quite different from the crop seed 

 are added — a fact which quite clearly shows that the average 

 buyer of seed has not developed the power of an observer of 

 differences. Of course honest seed dealers refrain from such 

 practices. It can be readily seen then that every person who 

 buys seeds ought to be as familiar with the weed seeds as he is 

 with the seeds of the crops he wishes to sow. One of the first 

 steps towards profitable agriculture is the sowing of pure seed. 

 Furthermore, before planting seed one ought to -know not only 

 what weed seeds and how much dirt and chaff are present, but 

 also what percentage of the seed will grow when planted. Seed 

 may be pure, but at the same time may also be poor in vitality 



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Fig. 3. Weed Seed Case Prepared by Seed Laboratory, 

 Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station. 



