42 



The objections to an axtiiicial method of determining the value of a 

 parcel of seed are as follows : — 



(1) Noxioiis or objectionable impurities cannot be arbitrarily 

 evaluated in terms of their degree of noxiousness as this varies from 

 country to country; e.g., Cuscuta, Salsola Kali, Plantago lance- 

 olata, Medicago lupulina. The introduction of a factor for depre- 

 ciating value relatively to the content of specified weed seeds would 

 have a local rather than an international significance. 



(2) It has not been determined how far seed supplies are respon- 

 sible in distributing weed impurities to the detriment of agricultxire. 

 Weeds do not grow on soil which does not suit them ; on soil which 

 suits them, they are in abundance in any case. 



The operations of a Seed Testing Station are largely concerned 

 with grass and clover seeds whose ultimate use is the production of 

 hay crop and animal pasture, frequently in combination. 



The success of these crops depends practically entirely on. 

 efficient cultivation, manuring and management. 



If land is covered with vigorous growing crops no heed need be 

 taken of weeds. 



On the other hand, where there is negligent cultivation and 

 management, no amount of propaganda or control of seeds will 

 prevent the land from becoming infested with weeds. 



(3) The ultimate profit arising out of sowing seed depends so 

 much on the efficacy of soil cultivation and on seasonal influences 

 that it appears gratuitous to attempt to estimate the detrimental 

 effect of weed seeds. 



(4) Account must also be taken of the fact that origin and strain 

 are frequently of so great importance that, provided samples are 

 tolerably pure, the fact that impurities (even so-called noxious 

 impurities) are present may count for little or nothing in 

 comparison. 



The use of an arbitrary formula for estimating the cultural 

 value of a sample is only appUcable, even if it were valid in other 

 respects, when applied to differentiate between varietal stocks from, 

 the same district of origin. 



One may cite the example of Wild White Clover, the market 

 value of which has been seven times and is still three times as 

 great as that of ordinary White Clover seed, notwithstanding the 

 fact that it frequently contains 15 per cent, to 20 per cent, of 

 impurity, and 20 per cent, to 30 per cent, of hard seeds. 



One may also cite the fact of the much greater cultural value 

 for pastoral purposes under British conditions — established by ex- 

 periment by Professors Gilchrist, Stapledon and others — of New 

 Zealand quasi-indigenous Cocksfoot as against that of Danish 

 Olsgaard, notwithstanding that the former contains considerable 

 quantities of Holcus lanatus, commonly regarded as a noxious weed. 



The operations of Seed Testing and Seed Control Stations have brought 

 the trade in seeds to a very high level, and the continuance of their labours- 

 is necessary to maintain the present standard. 



For international trade purposes, however, their effective operations 

 cannot very well be extended beyond the Umit of providing a report on 

 the quantity of pure germinating seed in. any parcel. 



The method generally adopted by Seed Testing Stations of reporting 

 resiults of tests might, however, be modified with advantage in such a 

 way as to meet the requirements of the grower of the seed product, the 

 cultivator of pasture and the trade intermediaries. 



The conventional method is useful for the trade, and suits those 

 handling seeds, probably mainly because they have become accustomed 

 to it by use and wont. 



The weakness of the conventional method is that the percentage of 

 germination stated in the report does not denote the actual weight of living: 



