1Q N. H. EXPERIMENT STATION [Bulletin 180 



the suggestions from the seedsmen's convention this report 

 was tabled until the next meeting. The need of a uniform seed 

 law in all states seemed to be felt by both analysts and seeds- 

 men, and it is hoped that our state may be represented at the 

 next meeting of the association when the draft of this bill will 

 come up finally. 



I\Ir. Edgar Brown, of our Federal Seed-Testing Laboratory 

 at Washington, D. C, pointed out some defects in the National 

 Seed Importation act in a paper entitled ''Further Importa- 

 tions of Low-grade Seed Not Su'bject to the Seed Importation 

 Act." This act carries no safeguard against seed which will 

 not germinate. Consequently, there is annually imported into 

 this country large quantities of seed of low" viability. This is 

 particularly true, he said, of seed of orchard grass, rye grass 

 and crimson clover. Much of the imported rape seed is not 

 true to name. This also escapes our present defective importa- 

 tion law. 



In a paper on "Seed liCgislation," Dr. E. ]\I. Freeman, of 

 ]\Tinnesota, empliasized the need, not only of a uniform state 

 seed law, but also of a federal seed law, which could be en- 

 forced by the Interstate Commerce Commission. At the pres- 

 ent time we have no federal law, consequently many "out of 

 state" firms sell seed across the line in another state in direct 

 violation of the seed law of that state. .At present the offended 

 state has no recourse. 



Mr. George E. Green, of the Illinois Seed Company of Chi- 

 cago, presented a paper on "Seed Legislation as the Seeds- 

 man Sees It." Although in favor of seed legislation in gen- 

 eral, be says, the seedsman is opposed to any requirements for 

 a seed germination test for two reasons: (1) because of the 

 time involved in making the test; (2) because of the rapidity 

 of the deterioration of seed. Both these reasons, he said, made 

 any germination requirements in a seed law unfair to the 

 seedsman. 



Mr. Jno. R. Dymond, from the office of the Canadian Seed 

 Commissioner at Ottawa, in a discussion of "Paper Packet 

 Seeds" showed that from their results obtained in testing a 

 large number of samples in packets that much of the seed on 

 the market in this condition is poor. That some seedsmen are 

 or seem to be honest in putting a good grade of seeds in their 

 packets, while others have no hesitancy in putting poor seeds 

 in theirs. In this regard tlie farmer must determine for him- 

 self a reliable dealer and buy from him. as most of our seed 

 laws have nothing to say with regard to the requirements of 

 packet seeds. 



The members of the convention had the opportunitv of visit- 

 ing the Pillsbury "A" Flour IMill on July 13th. This is the 



y 



