SEHD INSPECTION. 51 



shaded and at a somewhat higher temperature than in the first 

 case. 



At the end of every second day in the case of some seeds, and 

 the third day in the case of those germinating more slowly, the 

 sprouted seeds should be removed from the blotters or the sand 

 and counted, the per cent being readily found by referring back 

 to the number of seeds which were taken for the test. If 100 

 seeds are used, the number that sprout give the vitality per cent. 



VIOLATIONS OF THE EAW. 



It will be noted that in quite a number of instances, seeds were 

 sold in 1907 under a guarantee much too high. It developed in 

 most instances that these seeds were bought from wholesale 

 dealers in Maine and were sold by the retailer under the guaran- 

 tees printed or stenciled on the bags as received from the whole- 

 sale dealer. As the seeds were, so far as it was possible to 

 ascertain, bought and sold by the retailer in good faith, it did 

 not seem right to prosecute him. On turning to the wholesale 

 dealer who should have been the responsible party, it was not 

 practicable to trace the goods to him. That is, it was not prac- 

 ticable to prove that the sample drawn at the store of the 

 retailer was from a particular lot furnished by a wholesale 

 dealer. While it would have been a simple matter to prosecute 

 the retail dealer it was not as easy to press the case against the 

 wholesale dealer. 



In January at the invitation of the Director of the Station, 

 representatives of the wholesale houses he believed to have 

 violated the law, met at his office and the whole matter was gone 

 over. As it seemed that by the amicable arrangement then made 

 and the clearer understanding of the law on the part of the 

 wholesalers, the future would be safeguarded, all cases for 1907 

 were dropped. 



This is to be said as to the position of the wholesale dealer in 

 Maine. He cannot anywhere buy seeds under a guaranty and 

 he must by law guarantee the seeds he sells. This is a good deal 

 of hardship. It is offset, however, by the fact that the Maine 

 retailer cannot, so far as the writer knows, buy guaranteed seeds 

 of any wholesale dealer outside of Maine and on this account 

 the Maine wholesale dealer is in condition because of his guar- 

 anteed seeds to command the trade of Maine retailers. 



