December, 1924] results of seed tests, 1924 7 



sarily determine its ability to grow. For example, very old 

 clover seeds may lose a bit of their luster and sometimes 

 fade if dark colored, but they will be the same size and 

 shape and manifest no striking difference from absolutely 

 new seed. Sometimes new seed looks old because it has 

 become a bit dusty. Recognizing the fact that physical 

 appearance is no reliable index to the quality of seeds, 

 laws have been passed in our state to protect the buyer 

 against unscrupulous seed venders who would flood the 

 market with very old, adulterated, or otherwise worthless 

 seed. 



But some of this seed is still sold. One of the more 

 common ways apparently is by mail. When a farmer sees 

 an attractive advertisement in the paper, oft'ering cheap seed 

 by a company that he knows nothing about because it is 

 so far away, there is need for the exercise of an overabund- 

 ance of good judgment. In the first place, there is no pro- 

 tection afforded by the State law in such a case because 

 the State has no jurisdiction over agreements consummated 

 outside its borders. This fact in itself should make one 

 wary. Write to the Agricultural College or State Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture in the other state and get some idea 

 of the company before investing. If you finally decide to 

 buy such seed from companies of questionable standing, 

 write for directions, take a small sample for testing from 

 the seed you receive, and forward the same to your own 

 State Laboratory for investigation. Certain information 

 makes us believe that such seeds will make an interesting 

 study. Do not ask the company for such a sample because 

 we have no way of making them send a portion out of the 

 same lot from which they will later fill your order. Of 

 course, legitimate companies do business by mail, guarantee 

 their seeds, and stand behind them without reservation or 

 quibbling, but not all companies do business conscientiously. 

 For example, 37 samples of so-called "Alsike and Timothv 



