76 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



as the little rootlet called the radicle pushes through the seed 

 coat. 



No matter how favorable the soil conditions may be, very often 

 a seed which would germinate upon a cloth or blotter will not 

 come up through the soil from inherent lack of vitality alone. 

 Of course a seed has no practical value unless it has energy 

 enough to push its way up through the ground, but the very fact 

 that seed planted in the open is subject to so many vicissitudes, 

 coupled with the fact that the germination tests upon which 

 guarantees are based are not made in the open ground, gives the 

 dealer whatever advantage there is in Seed Control germination 

 methods. 



We do not wish to be unjust to the seedsmen, especially to those 

 Avho are honorably endeavoring to build up a trade. There is one 

 feature of the matter, however, which must not be overlooked. 

 As stated at the outset, the American farmer of today frequently 

 has an uphill task to make even a livelihood. Certainly he does 

 not often declare large dividends. He has very scanty means 

 under the present conditions of deciding whether the seed he 

 sows, and upon which his bread and butter depends, is what it 

 should be, until the best part of a season has elapsed and it is 

 too late to remedy the effect of sowing poor seed. 



HoAv many, who sow grass seed for their meadows and lawns, 

 know whether it corresponds to the name on the package or not ? 

 Many of the varieties are unknown to the seedsman himself unless 

 he is an expert in the business, and even experts are deceived in 

 this matter. The more common varieties of seed themselves are 

 often unknown to the ordinary farmer and gardener. He buys 

 his seed almost entirely upon the statements of the dealer, and 

 the dealer is not always reliable. 



A few days ago a sample of seed was submitted to me which 

 had been purchased by a New Hampshire farmer for rye grass 

 {Lolium perenne). It did not contain a single seed of that species, 

 but every seed proved to be chess (Bronms secalinus) ! Think of 

 selling a man seed of one of the worst weeds he has to contend 

 with — one which is already a vile pest on many farms ! Every 

 honorable person, be he a seedsman or planter, will join in 

 demanding severe punishment of the perpetrator of deeds of this 

 kind. When once awakened to the gravity of the situation, the 

 American farmer will hold some one responsible for such dishonest 



