New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 189 
clover-like plant with small yellow blossoms. Usually, the speci- 
mens are accompanied by a statement to the effect that plants of 
this kind constitute one-half or more of the herbage in fields sown 
the summer before with what was supposed to be alfalfa seed. The 
sender of the specimens is informed that the strange plant is yellow 
trefoil (Medicago lupulina L.)* the seed of which closely resembles 
alfalfa seed and being much cheaper than alfalfa is used to adulter- 
ate it.°1 (See Plate XVII, figs. 2 and 5.) He has sown adulterated 
seed, 
Between 1901 and 1905 trouble of this kind became so common 
as to attract general attention. I‘armers became more cautious in 
purchasing alfalfa seed and began sending samples to the Experi- 
ment Station for analysis. Then Congress helped out by directing 
the Secretary of Agriculture to obtain in the open market samples 
of alfalfa and certain other seeds and if any are found to be adul- 
terated or misbranded to publish the results of the tests together 
with the names of the persons by whom the seeds were offered for 
sale.°* Moreover, in a few cases the matter was taken into the 
courts and farmers collected damages from seed dealers who had 
sold them adulterated seed. 
It appears that these things have had a tendency to discourage 
the sale of adulterated alfalfa seed in New York. During the past 
two or three years the situation has improved considerably. Of 
the 548 samples of alfalfa seed analyzed by the Station between 
November 20, 1906, and August 15, 1908, only ten showed evidence 
of adulteration and none of these were heavily adulterated. One 
of the adulterated samples contained g per ct. of sweet clover 
(Melilotus alba Desr.) while in the other nine the adulterant was 
yellow trefoil which was used tothe extent of 6 per ct. in two sam- 
ples, about 7 per ct. in four samples, 8.4 per ct. in one, 9 per ct. in 
one, and 10 per ct. in the remaining one. 
Besides yellow trefoil and sweet clover, two species of bur clover 
(Medicago hispida Gaertn. and Medicago arabica Huds.) are used 
to adulterate alfalfa seed. Adulterated samples frequently con- 
tain both yellow trefoil and bur clover.** In New York, there have 
come to our attention only four cases of adulteration with bur 
*° The nature and habits of yellow trefoil are described more fully on page 
* Brown (9); Roberts and Freeman (83); Galloway (35), (36). 
“Two circulars dealing with alfalfa seed have been published under this 
act. See Galloway (35), (36). 
“Galloway (35), (36). 
