Official Inspections 86. 3 



t cost, and the results will not be published. The cost of the 

 .nalysis of blue grass or redtop is $1.00 per sample and for 

 ither seeds 50 cents. Remittance should accompany the sample. 



8. Written guaranty. No prosecution will lie against any 

 ierson handling agricultural seeds provided he obtains at the 

 ime of purchase a written guaranty signed by the person resid- 

 ng in the United States, from whom the purchase was made, 

 the effect that the seeds are not adulterated or misbranded 

 \'ithin the meaning of the Maine law regulating the sale of 

 gricultural seeds. After a person has been notified by the 

 Commissioner of Agriculture that an article of agricultural 

 eeds appears to be adulterated or misbranded the written guar- 

 nty will not protect further sales. 



9. Hearings. The person who is believed to have violated 

 he law regulating the sale of seeds will be granted a hearing at 

 ,'hich he mav appear in person or by attorney or by letter, 

 lie notice of the hearing will name the time and place of the 

 earing and a copy of the charge. Failure to appear will not 

 ■rejudice the case. The hearing will be private and every 

 pportunity will be given for explanation and establishment of 

 mocence. If the time appointed is not a convenient one, post- 

 ponement within reasonable limit will be granted. 



Testing Seeds at Home. 



It is important to the user of seeds not only to know their 

 ercentage of purity and what kind of weeds they carry, but to 

 lso know something of their vitality. In the case of seeds there 

 re at least 3 ways whereby the user may be injured. A 

 eed which carries foreign matter of any kind, in any consider- 

 ble amount, is correspondingly lowered in value. But there is 

 nother reason which is more important than the money consid- 

 ration, and that is that the weed seeds which the seeds contain 

 lay be pernicious. For example, — clover seed frequently car- 

 ies plaintain seed. If this plaintain seed is the door-yard 

 ariety which is present practically all over Maine, there would 

 e comparatively little harm from using clover seed which con- 

 lined it. On the other hand — lance leaved plaintain or rib 

 rass is not abundant in Maine. It is an undesirable plant and 

 sing seed carrying it might introduce a weed into land which is 

 t present free from it. It is important that the farmer should 



