1921.] Supplement on Official Seed Testing. 991 



be too severely condemned. It increases the risk of disease 

 and augments a grave public peril. 



****** 



With this issue of the Journal is published a supplement 

 (No. 20) entitled " Seed Testing During 1919-1920 " (Price 

 4d. post free, from the Secretary, Ministry 



Journal Supple- of Agriculture and Fisheries, Publications 



ment on Official Branch. 10, Whitehall Place, London, 

 Seed Testing S.W.I). 



during 1919-20. This is the Third Annual Pieport of the 

 Official Seed Testing Station and covers the 

 period from 1st August, 1919, to the 31st July, 1920. A brief 

 interim report on the work was published in the issue of this 

 Journal for February last. 



The total number of samples dealt with during the year ended 

 31st July, 1920, was 22,903, exclusive of 800 small packet 

 samples received from the Seed Control Branch of the Ministry. 

 This figure shows a decrease of 3 per cent, on the corresponding 

 figure for last year, but owing to a considerable change in the 

 nature of the samples tested, much more work has been involved. 



It was estimated that about 30,000 samples would be received 

 during the season, and but for a considerable drop in the number 

 of cereal samples this figure would probably have been reached. 



The following table indicates the sources from which the 

 samples were received (the figures for the previous season being 

 given for comparison) : — 



1919-20. 1918-19. 

 Seed firms ... Number sending samples ... 751 808 



„ of samples received 18,696 13,450 

 Farmers, &c. ... „ sending samples ... 689 2,467 



„ of samples received 1,391 4,541 

 Public Depts. ... „ „ „ „ 2,816 5,113 



Total number of samples 22,903 23,604 



A map included in the supplement compares to a certain extent 

 with a map published in last year's report.* It is, however, of 

 greater interest in that it shows directly the relation between the 

 number of farmers in any county who have sent samples for test, 

 and the acreage under arable cultivation. 



The drop in the number of samples sent in by farmers is 

 unsatisfactory, and makes it desirable to emphasise again that 

 much more use of the seed testing facilities provided by the 



* See this Journal. Vol. XXVI.. p. 868. 



