—Uncaitr Firming, Saturday, March 1. 1975
52
dred acres of corn or
■ ioybeans, a thin stand could
O 1 i . D a a f 1 mean near-dlsaster because
Seed Act rrotects Consumers
With the new crop and that seed companies seek to be eliminated one by one In the
garden planting season Just live up to through their seed the field while they are
a short time ahead in the production.quality-controls, easily visible It is much SBS.IwdSS
Northeast, seed buyers Seed is offered for sale in easier to get rid of them than etc ) p the amount of
should be confident that they many sizes of packages, to try to eliminate their mon ey he paid for the seed in
will buy good seed this year, from a few grams of garden offspring-seeds from a large y,, {i jL*
The Federal Seed Act, and seed to 100 pounds of some batch of tiny seeds in the To ‘Lgj ’ hlnuelf from
similar laws In aU fifty fam seeds. Acconlingly, the processing plant. It often ha V big P tST sort of thing
states, provide legal guides tables of toe packages vary takes the sharp eye of an farmer ahoul *j
and a framework for action in form, but they cannot vary experienced farmer to spot plant only cleaned and tested
in one respect - they must the rogue plants and to care , Md , y lf _ nv ner , ona
truttifuUy represent what is for toe weU being of the seed- SUS p«cts that the seed he
Sf d Sl e,l ? liS, S r ? 1 ? Producer plants, which Is onci,, faulty. he can seek
what toe federal and state reason that a high 1 the h felp of toe department of
seed laws are all about, and centage of the crops grown agriculture in Ms state to
° fter l referred to as for seed m this nation are process of
“truth-m-labeling” contracted out to farmers, seed law. The state
The laws require labeling Anotoer item of intense- agency will report case
with mformation important interest in toe world of seed it o n*«nartm*nt nf
to buyers of seed, and production is toe percentage Apiculture mSDAI for
prohibit labeling or false of germination for each lot of a *L n the F g deral
advertising In the case of seed. The germination rate SeTActTtoe seed hXen
smaU packets of garden is an indicator of toe healto shipped across state lines. If
seeds, detaited labeling is of toe seed and toe seed’s it living an in .
not required if the seed ability to sprout into new terstatp chinmpnt in
meets certain minimum Uttle plants Just as checks iZ
standards. . of packaged seed for originating
Our country’s seed weeds are made the seeds of state ould investigate toe
producing companies as each lot are tested for ger- em of th e
well as foreign firms that mmation. S g^
wish to sell seed within toe One of toe methods used to Tf ‘ {n fart fhp
United States, expend many determine germination incorrectl’v labeled
hours in both field and percentages is much like toe iouU bStaten
processing plant quality old first grade exercise of £ gainst offending seed
conteol programs to msure laymg seeds on a wet blotter company. K approprilte.the
that the package labete or paper towel to watch them sale of additional seed from
correctly desenbe toe seed send out roots and their first w w h
they offer for sale If toe two leaves. Of course seed sf opped and seed would
package is a blend of various technologists use highly and held of{
types of seed, as is often toe sophisticated equipment and market In some instances,
case rn lawn grass seed, toe procedures to do this the ultimate outcome of such
exact percentage of each All this effort is made to ]d h fi {
kind of seed is carefully tell toe consumer that a
monitored in the processing certain percentage of the £ through toe courts®
plant. After each “lot” of seeds will sprout if all other i na ii ca sesof this sort,
seed is packaged, employees conditions are favorable,
in the company’s quality Farmers and most home -
control operation sample gardeners realize that
and test each lot to make weather, soil condition, and
sure the seed conforms to the soil-borne diseases and pests
listed percentages on the all conspire against the
labels or the standards for planted seeds unless toe
small packages of garden planter has neutralized some
seeds. of these growth inhibitors in
Quality control really one way or another. Ger
begins in the fields where mmation rates are the
seed-producing plants are planters’ chances of getting
grown. An important task in a good stand of plants. The
seed production is the planter tries to plant his
elimination of weeds that seeds at the right time and
bear seeds that are con- provide the best seedbed
taminants m the seed. Much conditions he can.
effort is also taken to get rid Poor judgment in planting
of off-type or other unwanted or adverse weather could
“rogue” plants in the seed- mean a poor row in a garden,
producing field. These must To a farmer with one hun-
Exclusive Hot-Dip galvanizing
keeps Jamesway* barn equipment
on the job years longer.
Stop In Today for Free Catalog.
YOU CAN COUNT ON US
AGRI-EQUIP. CARL L. SHIRK
R D 2 Farmersvilie Ephrata Pa 5 Colebrook Road Lebanon Pa
717-354-4271 717-274-1436
M. E. SNAVELY DEPENDABLE MOTOR CO.
455 South Cedar Street Lititz Pa East Mam Street Honey Brook Pa
717 626-8144 215-273-3131
if u & "BW.Wff- INC - GRUMEUI FARM SERVICE
/ " e " r L Avenue ew ® er^inv^e ' f* a - Robert Fulton Highway Quarryville Pa
215-367-2169 717-786-7318
HENRY S. LAPP LANDIS BROTHERS
i'. a J n „ s ,® a[) * >enna 17527 1305 Manheim Pike P 0 Box 484,
717-442-8134 Lancaster Pa 717-393-3906
whether a illp-up in quality The soed-buylng consumer
control or a flagrant paya hla money (or a quality
misrepresentation of the product, and he expects it to
truth, the seed company will perform as promised. For
lose the confidence of its whatever reason, if the seeds
customers. This is far more in the package do not live up
important to the seed firm to the claims on the label, or
than a small fine, or seed established standards, the
half off the market, since the state and federal seed laws
firm relies on repeat sales are the consumer’s way to
each planting season to stay prevent a recurrence to
in business. himself or to his neighbors.
M IB
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BS3BBBBW
C. 0. NOLT
LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR
BIRD-IN-HAND
Phone Lane. 397-0751