The North Carolina Station has given particular attention to seed tests of late, and has called public attention to the value of this sort of labor. The present bulletin gives the results of many tests of garden seeds from samples procured in the open market. "With the exception of clovers and lucerne seed, most of the different kinds of seeds tested were found true to name and reasonably free from impurities." Many of the samples possessed low vitality, however, "due to the staleness of the seeds." "Stale seeds, unless they have been 'doctored,' are easily recognizable by an experienced person. They are usually lusterless, which is due to the absortion of the oil, which is always present in the seed-coat of fresh seeds. When stale seeds are found in packets, the containing packets are more or less stained and dirty, and such seeds should never be purchased. Stale lucerne seed has lost its shiny, greenish color, and become dull and brown and more or less withered. Red clover seed also becomes brown with age. In our warm and humid climate, the vitality of seeds, and especially of northern-grown seeds, deteriorates very rapidly ; and seeds of two years old are, as a rule, not worth sowing. Yet, we find that most retail dealers in seeds act in utter disregard of this fact.

They seem to think the quality of seeds in packets, like that of meats in cans, is of indefinite duration, and ' warranted to keep in any climate.'" The author recommends that seedsmen assume entire responsibility for their seeds, and states that European dealers do so. It is undoubtedly true that within certain limits, seedsmen should be held responsible for what they sell. The problem is a difficult one, inasmuch as failure as often results from poor treatment as from poor seeds; and, moreover, the seedsman cannot control the season or other conditions which affect his crop. The author makes much of the European means of seed responsibility, yet, in reality, many of these means are practically inefficient, particularly the one which he cites as a model. No doubt any reputable house would cheerfully "take back the seeds and pay cost of carriage both ways" if shown to be poor before they were sown. At least, such has been our experience. We recall that one of our leading houses filled our order gratis a second time for cauliflower seed to a considerable amount, upon our representation that its vitality was low.

Potato Experiments.

Seed Tests.

But the whole subject of seed warranty needs discussion, and this bulletin will serve a good purpose in this direction.