CONTROL SERIES No. 115 



1942 OFFICIAL INSPECTION OF AGRICULTURAL SEEDS 



From November 1, 1941 to November 1, 1942, the Seed Laboratory received 

 and worked 4009 samples of seed, of which 968 were collected by the State 

 Department of Agriculture and 3041 were sent in by seedsmen, farmers, and 

 various state institutions. An additional lot of 233 samples of flower seeds, for 

 field tests only, was also received from the State Commissioner of Agriculture. 



Classification of these samples with the total number of laboratory tests in- 

 volved is shown in the following summary. It will be noted that the total number 

 of tests required for the 4009 samples was 4620; 442 for purity and 4178 for 

 germination. 



Number of number of tests 



Samples Purity Germination 



338 Field Crops for Purity and Germination 338 338 



1 Field Crops for Purity Only 1 — 



223 Field Crops for Germination Only — 223 



51 Lawn and Other Types of Mixtures for Purity; Ger- 



minations involving 237 ingredients 51 237 



52 Lawn Mixtures for Purity Only 52 — 



9 Lawn Mixtures for Germination Only; Germinations 



involving 45 ingredients — 45 



3129 Vegetables for Germination Only — 3129 



40 Herbs for Germination Only — 40 



43 Flower Seeds for Germination Only — 43 



5 Tree Seeds for Germination Only — 5 



91 Tobacco Seeds for Cleaning and Germination — 91 



27 Tobacco Seeds for Germination Only — 27 



4009 442 4178 



Field tests to determine trueness to type were conducted in cooperation with 

 the Departments of Olericulture and Floriculture, which tested respectively 145 

 samples of Vegetable seeds, 233 samples of Flower seeds. Results of the field 

 tests are shown on pages 76-94. 



The Seed Laboratory cleaned 91 lots of Tobacco seed for Connecticut Valley 

 farmers. The gross weight of the 91 lots of seed amounted to 109.69 lbs. with a 

 net weight of cleaned seed 89.12 lbs. 



Explanation of Tables 



In these tables the seeds are listed in alphabetical order by groups, each group 

 containing only those seeds, the sale of which is regulated by a definite section 

 of the Massachusetts Seed Law. Section 261-A of the Acts and Resolves of 1937 

 and 1938, Chapters 288 and 363, defines the group from Alfalfa to Wheat, in- 

 clusive; Section 261-B, Mixtures; Section 261-C, Special Mixtures; and Section 

 261-D, Vegetables. 



The number preceding each analysis is for identification and reference. The 

 line to the right of the letter "L" gives information copied from the label; that 

 to the right of "F" what was found in the laboratory analysis. 



Various symbols have been used to call attention to violations and irregularities 

 and with certain tables a column is devoted to "Notes." Where symbols 

 occur an explanation is given in footnotes at bottom of the page. 



All lots of seed included in this report were tested according to the Rules for 

 Seed Testing adopted by the Association of Official Seed Analysts. 



