1912.1 PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. ;il. 75 



DO WE NEED A SEED LAW IN MASSACHU- 

 SETTS? 



G. E. STONE. 



There has been consiJerahk^ agitation during the past two 

 or three years over a seed law for the State, interest in which 

 has been shown bj farmers and citizens in general. Some 

 States have passed laws relating to seeds and have established 

 standards for seed germination and purity, while others are 

 seriously considering the matter of purity of seeds, and are 

 attempting to establish laws to this end. The standards for 

 purity and germination adopted by our diti'erent States are 

 similar, but are so high that it is impossible for any seed 

 dealer or extensive importer to live up to the law under the 

 present system of handling seeds. The presence of laws on our 

 statute books which no one can live up to is conducive to the 

 best interests of no one ; nor is it wise to bring seed dealers 

 before the courts for selling as good quality seeds as can be 

 obtained, and brand them as criminals or law-breakers. A 

 law which cannot be enforced is worse than none, since it has 

 a tendency to breed contempt for all law. A seed law which 

 cannot be conformed to is bound to be broken, as certain crops 

 have to be grown whether the seed complies with some arbitrary 

 standard or not. 



It is most unfortunate that the majority of the laws are 

 drawn up from the seed analyst's point of view and not from 

 that of the dealer or retailer. Too rig-id seed laws are bound 

 to prove very unsatisfactory in the end to seed importers and 

 dealers, and if strictly enforced will prove of great disad- 

 vantage to the farmer. The best process of cleaning seed is not 

 known, and it is also a difficult matter to grow clean seed. 



The germination of seeds is greatly influenced by climatic 



