34 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



Section. 9. This act shall take effect September one, eighteen 

 hundred ninety-seven. 



RULES EOR TESTING PURITY OF SEEDS. 



'"Dealers may base their guarantees upon tests conducted by 

 themselves, their agents, or by the Director of the Maine Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station; provided, that such tests shall be 

 made under such conditions as the said director may prescribe." — 

 Section 2 of seed law. 



The following rules for testing seeds are taken from those 

 adopted by the Association of American Agricultural Colleges 

 and Experiment Stations. The rules which have to do with 

 germination are here omitted, and the other rules are modified, 

 when necessary, to conform to the requirements of the law in 

 this State for the regulation of the sale of agricultural seeds. 



Directions for Sampling Seeds. — The contents of packets 

 should be emptied out, mixed thoroughly by stirring, and small 

 quantities taken from different parts of the mixture to make the 

 sample. 



If seeds are in bulk or in large packages, take handfuls at 

 random from the top, middle, and bottom, and from these, after 

 mixing, take the sample for testing. 



Samples of seeds sold under specific guaranty of quality, must 

 be taken in the presence of a disinterested and reputable wit- 

 ness, who shall certify that the sample was taken in his presence 

 according to these directions. The sample must be inclosed in 

 an envelope or other suitable package, securely fastened and 

 sealed with wax in the presence of the witness. The names of 

 the sender and witness must be written on the outside of pack- 

 age, which shall be sent to the station prepaid. 



Samples shall weigh approximately as follows: 



Grasses, except noted below, 1 ounce. 



Clovers and all seeds of similar size, 2 ounces. 



Cereals, vetches, beet "balls" and all larger seeds, 4 ounces. 



Rye grasses, bromes, sorghums, and millets, 2 ounces. 



All the smaller vegetable seeds, I ounce. 



All the larger vegetable seeds except beet "balls," 2 ounces. 



Sending samples. — Even" sample for test sent to the Station 

 should be in a securely fastened package accompanied by a 



