SEED INSPECTION 



By F. A. McLaughlini 



NEW AGRICULTURAL, VEGETABLE, AND FLOWER SEED LAW 



The Massachusetts Agricultural, Vegetable and Flower Seed Law was amended 

 at the 1946 session of the Legislature, approved by Governor Tobin on May 24, 

 and became effective on August 24, 1946. The law as amended follows very 

 closely the Uniform Seed Law which has been adopted by many of the states. 

 Copies of the complete Act may be obtained on application to the Commissioner 

 of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, State House, Boston, Massachusetts. 

 Every seedsman and dealer in seeds is strongly advised to become familiar with 

 the full text of this law, since the following outline is only a brief presentation of 

 requirements affecting the sale of seeds. 



Label Requirements 

 For Agricultural Seeds 



1. Commonly accepted name and variety. For Barley, Buckwheat, Oats, 

 Rye and Wheat, when the variety is unknown the label shall bear the 

 statement: "Variety Unknown". 



2. Lot number or other identification. 



3. Percentage of pure seed. 



4. Percentage of inert matter. 



5. Percentage of w^eed seeds. 



6. Percentage of other agricultural seeds. 



7. Percentage of: (a) germination, exclusive of hard seeds; (b) hard seeds, 

 if present. If (a) and (b) have been stated they may be followed by the 

 total germination and hard seeds if so desired. 



8. Month and year germination test was completed. The date of test shall 

 not be over nine months old, exclusive of the month in which the test 

 was completed. 



9. Origin of Alfalfa, Red Clover and Field Corn (except Hybrid). If origin 

 is unknown, it must be so stated. 



10. Name and address of the person who labeled the seed, or who sells, offers, 

 or exposes such seed for sale. 



11. Names of secondary noxious weed seeds and number per ounce when 

 present singly or collectively in excess of 1 in 5 grams, and 1 in 10 grams 

 of the smaller seeds, and 1 in 25 grams and 1 in 100 grams of the larger 

 seeds. 



For Mixtures of Agricultural Seeds 



When several kinds of seeds, each in excess of five percent of the whole are 

 mixed, the word "mixture" or the word "mixed" shall be shown conspicuously 

 on the label. Each component must also be named in the order of its predom- 

 inance. Otherwise requirements are the same as for Agricultural Seeds except 

 in addition, information 1, 3 and 7 shall be given for each component. 



'Assisted by Miss Jessie L. Anderson. Research Assistant; Mrs. Phyllis Russell, Laboratory- 

 Assistant from March to June, 1946; and Miss May J. Honnay, Clerk. 



