6 
N. C. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 
facture of bogus clover seeds from quartz rock. The quartz was 
first crushed and, by means of sieves, graded to the size of different 
species of clover seeds; it was then colored to imitate the seed which 
it was meant to adulterate. Prof. Nobbe has shown that in a single 
year certain English seed firms, and among the most “honorable 5 ' 
in the trade, have purchased tons of this bogus seed. Just 
how much of this quartz clover reached America, we are not yet able 
to say, but we have an agent in Europe investigating the matter, and 
we hope before long to be able to lay the result before the public. 
The following form of guarantee is given by a large English seed 
association, and is, ii} effect, similar to that given by all European 
seedsmen : 
1* ‘‘ Our seeds are sold guaranteed pure, clean and of the percent¬ 
age of vitality named in our catalogue. 
2. “ 1 his guarantee is subject to the analysis of the botanist of the 
Royal Agricultural Society. 
3. “If the result of the analysis does not confirm the above guar¬ 
antee, the association will take back the seeds and pay cost of carriage 
both ways, but seeds must not be sown before making complaint. 
4. “The seeds once sown, the responsibility of the association 
ceases. 1 he result depends upon so many things besides the quality 
of the seeds that the growth cannot be guaranteed. 55 
This is fair trade and common sense, creditable alike to English 
seed merchants and English seed purchasers. Where such trade 
customs prevail there can be no room for “mistakes. 55 Honest and 
careful seedsmen are protected from the unfair competition of the 
unscrupulous. The purchaser is assured that he gets just what he 
wants and pays only for what he gets. 
The North Carolina Experiment Station has extensive and very 
complete arrangements for testing seeds, and its services are at the 
command of any farmer or seed-user in North Carolina free of 
charge. Being desirous of introducing a higher grade of seeds into 
our markets, the Station will publish in an ensuing Bulletin the 
names of seedsmen who are willing to give purchasers of their seeds 
residing in North Carolina a guarantee similar in effect to that 
quoted above. We invite correspondence on this matter. 
The Station has nearly ready for publication, and will shortly pub¬ 
lish, the details of a Standard of Quality for the different kinds of 
seeds more commonly used. In the same Bulletin we will describe 
the apparatus and methods used for testing seeds in this Station, 
and in other American and European Experiment Stations. 
It has been thought best to omit, in the present Bulletin, the 
names of retail dealers from whom seeds were purchased. Hereafter 
the names of retailers will be published in connection with the seeds 
purchased of them, and ose who are found selling poor and worth¬ 
less seeds may expect no further forbearance on the part of this 
Station. 
