SEEDS AND SEEDING 75 



by nearly all of the countries of Europe, there being over 

 40 in Germany alone. 



The first work of this sort in America was inaugurated 

 by Jenkins at the Connecticut Experiment Station 

 in 1877, The Seed Laboratory of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture was established in 1894, 

 and similar work has been carried on by the Canada 

 Department of Agriculture since 1903. 



At the present time there are legislative provisions in 

 many states for preventing the adulteration and mis- 

 branding of seeds. 



68. Sampling. To secure a fair sample from a bag 

 of seed a small amount should be taken from different 

 parts of the bag, including the top and the bottom. There 

 is a tendency for the smaller and heavier seeds to rattle 

 to* the bottom in handling, and for the lighter and larger 

 seeds . to rise toward the top. By mixing the smaller 

 samples thus contained, a fair sample of the contents of 

 the bag is obtained. 



69. Guaranteed seeds. The practice of guaranteeing 

 the purity and germination of seeds has been adopted 

 by several firms, and is likely to become more general. 

 This is the fairest and most satisfactory method for the 

 buyer. In lieu of guarantees, large users of field seeds 

 frequently purchase on the basis that the delivery shall 

 be equal in quality to a sample previously submitted. 

 No matter how stringent future control laws may become, 

 seeds will continue to vary in quality. In a perfectly 

 fair transaction both the buyer and the seller should know 

 the quality of the goods. 



70. Fungous diseases. A few grasses are more or less 

 subject to the attacks of smut fungi that infect the ovary, 

 which, when ripe, is converted into a mass of black spores. 



