THE SEED 69 
Rhode Island produces what little Rhode Island 
bent is harvested in this country. Considerable creep- 
ing bent is imported, and often substituted for the 
Rhode Island. 
The seed of the annual sweet vernal is practically 
indistinguishable from that of the true perennial sweet 
vernal, and the use of the cheap annual seed as an 
adulterant is frequent. Redtop sells for about double 
the price of timothy, and very often redtop carries from 
15 to 20 per cent. of timothy as an adulterant. The 
adulteration is likely to go unnoticed unless the sam- 
ple is carefully examined. 
GUARANTEED SEEDS 
The selling of guaranteed seeds is practically un- 
known in this country. Instead, all of the principal 
seedsmen print on their seed packages and bills the 
following disclaimer clause, adopted by the American 
Seed Trade Association: 
as —— gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to 
description, quality, productiveness, or any other matter of 
any seeds, bulbs, or plants we send out, and we will not be in 
any way responsible forthe crop. If the purchaser does not 
accept the goods on these terms, they are at once to be re- 
turned.” 
The use of such a clause is in sharp contrast to the 
practice adopted by some of the English seed firms. 
For example, James Hunter, of Chester, England, 
prints in his price-list for 1904 a table showing the 
guaranteed percentage of germination, and the num- 
