96 MAINE AGRICLXTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I913. 



promptly made and results reported. As soon as the car is 

 received in the State take a sample from not less than six 

 packages and forward to the Station. This sample should be 

 accompanied by the name of the shipper, the kind of seed, the 

 brand, the guaranty, the lot number and the car number. This 

 will be regarded as an official sample and prompt, free analysis 

 will be made and the results reported. In case of a discrepancy 

 between the analysis of the type sample and the car sample the 

 guaranty can be changed to correspond with fact, and a basis 

 furnished upon which to make a claim against the shipper as 

 to the quality of the seed. 



The Seed Deaeer and the Seed Distributor. 



Most of the seed used in this State is bought by farmers 

 locally. For the past few years complaints have been received 

 by the Station from dealers in some localities that they were 

 having what they considered to be unfair competition in the 

 seed business from farmers, cooperative and grange stores, 

 who acted as purchasing agents, taking the orders for seed and 

 sending them nearly always to some out of the State seed 

 house to be filled and shipped directly to individuals. It is 

 perfectly lawful for a person within the State to act as pur- 

 chasing agent for others and distribute seeds direct from the 

 car without conforming to the requirements of the seed law. 

 To buy seeds, deliver them and collect money at the time they 

 are delivered is to put the seeds under the requirements of the 

 State law and such a handler of seeds must conform to all of 

 the requirements of the law. To receive paid orders for seeds, 

 have them shipped to one address, and delivered direct from 

 the car or railroad station to the person who placed the paid 

 order exempts the seeds from the requirements of the State 

 law. How many seeds are purchased in this latter way it is 

 impossible to estimate. The farmer should however bear in 

 mind that when he receives unguaranteed seeds he may be get- 

 ting a very low grade seed instead of a seed equal to that sold 

 at home and plainly guaranteed to be of a certain percentage of 

 purity. 



In 1912 it was reported that some lots of these seeds arrived 

 without any guarantees whatever upon them of the percentage 



