HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 1838 
900,000 pounds of Canadian blue grass, practically all of which was 
used for the adulteration of Kentucky blue grass. 
The Cuarrman. I wonder if that is shipped to Kentucky for adul- 
teration of Kentucky blue grass? In other words, where would you 
be likely to find eee Kentucky seed? 
Mr. Coviuie. It is mixed chiefly at the markets and especially by 
the seed dealers. 1 think that none of the mixtures are made by the 
growers of the seed in the State of Kentucky. We are testing those 
samples free of charge for any one who may wish to send them to us, 
and we are pointing out the necessity or desirability of this sort of 
action which would make it impossible to put those things upon the 
market. 
Ihave here some similar mixtures which have been shipped with 
alfalfa seed adulterated with yellow trefoil. Here is a bottle of alfalfa 
seed, and here a bottle of yellow trefoil, and here a mixture of alfalfa. 
These are commercial samples, bought in the market, of alfalfa seed 
containing 33 per cent of yellow trefoil. It is almost indistinguish- 
able except by an expert indentification of the seed; it is indistinguish- 
able from pure alfalfa seed. 
Mr. Scorr. Is yellow trefoil grown for any other purpose except to 
adulterate with alfalfa seed? 
Mr. Covitie. The legitimate sale of yellow trefoil seed in the United 
States would be a small fraction of 1 per cent of the imports. 
Mr. Scorr. Then for what legitimate purpose would it be used? 
Mr. Covittr. It is sometimes used in lawn mixtures. There has 
been imported into the United States since July, 1902, 129,000 pounds 
of yellow trefoil. 
Mr. Bowre. Is that an inferior grass? 
Mr. Covitxe. It is worthless, and in most cases worse than worthless. 
Mr. Bowrz. Why do they want to adulterate it? 
Mr. Covirix. This yellow trefoil is bought at low price and is sold 
at the same price as alfalfa seed. 
Mr. Gattoway. It is bought for about 5 cents and sold for 18 cents. 
Mr. Covitte. It is not simply a question of the value of the seed; - 
it is the unfortunate result of planting this mixture upon the land. 
Here is stuff which is imported into the country, alfalfa seed screen- 
ings and that sort of thing; here is an alfalfa seed imported which is 
of pure alfalfa, but only 5 per cent of it will grow. It is imported for 
mixture with good alfalfa seed. There are clover mixtures imported 
for adulteration containing a small percentage of clover and another 
of alsace clover containing only 49 per cent. 
Mr. Scorr. You can do nothing to punish the adulterations except 
to respond when called upon for tests : 
Mr. Covitie. That is the only thing we can do at the present time. 
The Cwarrman. Have you not the same power that Professor Wiley 
has? 
Mr. Covitte. We have not, 
The Cuarrman. You ought to have it. 
Mr. Bowrg. What is Professor Wiley’s power? 
Mr. Scorr. Under the pure-food laws. 
The Cuarrman. Why would it not be practicable to do as Doctor 
Wiley is doing in food, and when an invoice of seed is landed in this 
country examine it—— : 
Mr. TRmep.e. In reference to that I would suggest that Iam in con- 
ference with the Department, and have been, in regard to a bill which 
