6 N. H. Experiment Station 



seed testing were as well perfected as they are today, some 

 careless if not malicious practices were common. It was 

 not unusual to find Kentucky bluegrass seed copiously 

 adulterated with the much cheaper Canada bluegrass. Al- 

 though the seeds are very similar, the cheaper species is 

 much inferior for most purposes for which Kentucky is 

 recommended. The two seeds are never mixed by nature 

 if for no other reason than that they mature at different 

 times of year. Again, white clover, red clover, and alfalfa 

 seeds were occasionally found germinating less than 10 per 

 cent; in one case only 1 or 2 per cent. These low germin- 

 ations were usually traceable to poor storage conditions or 

 extremely old seed as a result of inefficient and careless 

 retailing. That one company was selling seed that had 

 been in its store for some five or six years was proved by 

 the wholesaler's records. This particular dealer had not 

 replenished his supply in that length of time. 



The seed inspection work then is rather far reaching in 

 its effects, and if it fails to develop anything spectacular 

 or pretentious may nevertheless be serving its purpose. 

 In fact, in so far as our commercial seed for farm purposes 

 complies with the law and thus keeps its venders out of 

 difficulty, everybody should be reaping due satisfaction 

 both from the seed business and from the regulations re- 

 lating thereto. It is far from the intention of the State to 

 harass or unnecessarily inconvenience any person engaged 

 in the seed business, but only to see that competition 

 among dealers is fair and that the farmer buys the goods 

 for which he bargains. Good seed and honest intentions 

 combined with careful merchandising practices should 

 make this condition possible at all times for all persons 

 concerned, and should make them welcome the interven- 

 tion of the law at any time when other intentions with 

 other merchandise tend to prevail. It is only the care- 

 less or occasionally dishonest person that makes regular- 

 tory measures necessary. 



