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not contain the whole of the legislation affecting the sale of seeds, but it empowers the 

 Ministry of Agriculture to make Regulations for the sale of the seed. The Act is part 

 of the Law of the Bealm, but the Begulations can be varied from time to time provided 

 that all such Begulations are submitted to the approval of the Houses of Parliament. 

 For the purpose of this paper I will consider the Act and the Regulations together, since 

 this will make an explanation more simple. 



The Seeds Act requires the seller of practically all kinds of farm seeds and of the 

 principal garden vegetable and forest tree seeds and of seed potatoes to make at the time 

 of sale a declaration giving certain specified particulars regarding such seed. As these 

 particulars vary with the nature of the seed, I will consider them under several headings. 



In the case of Grasses and Clovers the main particulars to be declared are the 

 country of origin, the percentage of purity, the percentage of germination and, in the 

 case of Clovers, of hard seed and the percentage of Injurious Weed Seeds if over 1 "/o 

 are present. In the case of Clovers the presence of Dodder has to be notified if it occurs 

 to an extent exceeding 1 seed in 4 ounces of the larger Glovers, and in excess of 1 seed 

 in 2 ounces of the smaller Clovers. The Injurious Weeds for the purposes of the Seed 

 Act are Docks and Sorrels {Bumex sp.), Oranesbills (Geranium sp.). Wild Carrot (Daucus 

 Carota), Yorkshire Fog (Holcus lanatus) and Soft Brome Grass (Bromus mollis et sp.). 



In the case of Root and Vegetable seeds it is necessary to declare the percentage 

 of purity and the percentage of germination provided that the purity need not be specifically 

 stated if it is over 97 % and that the germination need not be specifically stated if it is 

 above a certain figure called the "Minimum percentage of germination". The Regulations 

 contain a list of these minimum percentages of germination for the different kinds of seeds 

 covered by the Act, and if the growth of the sample is abnve this figure it is sufficient 

 for the seller to state that this is the case provided that at the same time he states for the 

 benefit of the buyer what this minimum percentage is. 



In the case of Cereals the purity is not required, but it is necessary to declare the 

 percentage of germination subject to the use of a minimum percentage figure similar to 

 that referred to in the case of Root and Vegetable seed. In the case of Forest Tree seeds, 

 in addition to purity and germination, the date of collection and the country of origin 

 has to be stated, and in the case of seed Potatoes a statement as to the size and dressing 

 as well as to the country of origin. 



A declaration of this nature is only required in cases where the seed is being sold 

 for purposes of sowing, and, to facilitate trade, a seed merchant is allowed to sell to 

 another seed merchant without a declaration provided that the buyer gives a written 

 statement that he will not sell the seed without having it tested or without getting a 

 similar statement from his buyer. This means that the seed must be tested before it gets 

 into the hands of the man who is actually going to sow it. 



The above declarations required in the case of the sale of seed must be based .upon 

 tests made at one of the three Government Stations or at a License.d Station. A Licensed 

 Station is one maintained by a seed firm for purposes of its own Trade, and is only 

 licensed after inspection by officials of the Ministry and upon giving an undertaking to 

 comply with certain rules. It may be of interest to know that the conditions to be observed 

 by a Licensed Station specify the amount of seed to be taken for Purity and Germination 

 tests and also require the license to hold for three months all samples on which tests have 

 been made, so that 6heck tests can be made, if desired, by the Official Station. At present 

 seed firms that have applied for licences are being inspected to see how far they are fit 

 to receive licences. It is hoped by these means to improve the standard of Trade Seed 

 Testing which at present is none too high. 



A further provision of the Seed Act empowers representatives of the Ministry to enter 

 shops and warehouses and to take samples of seed held or exposed for sale. These samples 

 are submitted to one of the Official Seed Testing Stations, and if the result of the test 

 there made shows that the seller's declaration is incorrect, subject to the usual scales of 



