Show i t I FARMER CANNOT AFFORD TO SOW POOR SEED l I UI t fI ft f t I ax aY I I I Ij II I y aas gS l I I j rt i f Two Dinner Plates and Two Pieces Blotting Paper Make G oi Home Tester Prepared by the United States Department Depart Depart- Department men ment of or Agriculture Red clover seed Is selling at nt approximately approximately 50 cents a n pound At that G trice rice a farmer cannot afford to sow Gis es is clover seed anything that Is not Hover dover seed Half a n dollar a n pound for weed seed chaff and dirt Is to high a price to pay for the privilege if It being careless careless particularly particularly as ns ns' ns seed testing lestIng Is comparatively an nn easy anti and wholly an In Inexpensive operation There Js is but one factor In crop production pro pro- du over which the farmer has hns absolute control Sunshine and moisture moist moist- ure tire ore matters that are wholly beyond beI beyond be be- I yond rond his liIs power of of Influence Measurably Measurably j ably he can enn control culture but too much rain min or too long a drought at ath h li critical time may place even eyen that I be nd his po power r. r But no matter happens the farmer can he sure h lie Is planting good seed the seed the Ille of seed that given a n fair chance will produce a n full crop He cannot ab afford ord to handicap himself at the out o outset t- t set CL ll by planting adulterated or dead seed the seed the kind of seed that cannot cannot cannot can can- not make a n full crop no matter how bow favorable e conditions may be L Labeling of Seeds Promised The sale of seeds In many stares is regular d b by law the seller seUer being required to make certain statements as to quality but the law Is not ap ap- applicable pitiable to seeds that go Into Inter- Inter ito Bt commerce In order to meet this tills difficulty cult so far as possible the time secretary secretary secretary secre secre- tary of agriculture In 1917 asked reps representatives rep rep- of the seed trade to meet In and secured the con con- set Belt of most of them to a n suggestion that seed men label In-bel all nIl farm seeds seeds' sold BOld In lots of 10 pounds or m more re the label to show perc percentage of pure seed wed percentage of germination and date of germination test In some roses cases the agreement was not lived up to but the matter has hns again been celled caled to the attention of seed men and r man ninny many of them have again announced that they will label all seed they sell cell Practically all nIl large seed houses housea now have facilities for tor testing the quality of all lots of seeds that they buy and sell They have therefore the Information that the farmer needs and he lie should Insist upon being given this Information when he buys seeds Few farmers are willing to buy low low- grade seed containing much chaff dirt weed we-ed seeds and dead It if seeds If they know how poor It Is he e dealer deal deal- er however almost Invariably makes his largest profit on the lower grade of seed he lie sells and Is not always willIng willing will will- Ing to put on a n truthful label The fanner's farmers protection lies In buying only labeled seeds Farmer May Mar Protect Himself The farmer however may du do a great deal toward protecting himself by testing seeds at home Testing Seed In the Home and In the Rural School published by the United States department of agriculture as aa Farmers Farmers' Bulletin discusses th the subject in detail It will b be furnishes free on request All 1 kinds of If farm seeds may be subjected subjected sub sub- to one kind of test or another but the seeds of the crops In most general use and which It Is especially desirable to have tested rested are the true alsike and crimson crimson crimson crim crim- clovers ers such as red son alfalfa such grasses as nS timothy orchard grass and the millets cereals ce ce- reals rape flax vetch and corn Much of the seed of these crops except ceren cereals cereals ce ce- ren reals Is and corn Is Imported and widely variable grades are on the market Just now a n gre great t deal of clover seed Is being Imported from Italy and specialists believe that much of itIs It ItIs itIs Is poorly adapted to American condi condl s. Time The prevalence e of foreign foreign- grown seed In the market Is probably not generally recognized but It Is hf one of the Important el elements ments In making te testing necessary |