IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF SEED
In years of large production in America and a shortage in other countries, considerable American seed goes abroad to Italy, France, Germany and Australia. The largest portion is consigned to Germany because extensive seed houses at Hamburg act as distributers to all portions of the world, from which they receive demands.
In recent years the United States has been a buyer rather than a seller, and imports have been as follows:
| Year | Lbs. |
|---|---|
| 1902-3 | 1,018,559 |
| 1903-4 | 2,200,267 |
| 1904-5 | 2,865,324 |
According to the government authorities the bulk of the imported seed comes from Germany and France. That having the best reputation in Europe comes from Provence, (southeastern) France. A small quantity comes from Italy, but it is not generally considered to be of as good quality as that grown farther north. Seedsmen complain that many consignments of the foreign seed contain large quantities of Yellow trefoil and Bur clover.
It is a fallacy popular among farmers and country seed dealers that great quantities of alfalfa seed are exported to be used for dyeing purposes. There is no foundation in fact for such a belief, and the exportations made, like the importations, are for seeding purposes exclusively.
IMPURITIES AND ADULTERATIONS
A foremost source of danger and loss, aside from infertile seed, is impurities and adulterants in the alfalfa seed planted. Growers often are careless and do not examine their alfalfa before or at the time of harvesting, and do not reclean their seed after threshing, thus sending out among innocent purchasers seed mixed with those of weeds, inferior grasses and forage plants, and with various trash which adds bulk and weight but has no value. The commonest seed adulterants or impurities are those of Sweet clover (Melilotus alba) ([Illus.] opp. p. 26), Bur clover (Medicago denticulata), Spotted clover (Medicago Arabica) ([p. 67]), Yellow trefoil or Hop clover (Medicago lupulina) ([p. 26]), and the Dodders (Cuscuta epithymum and Cuscuta arvensis), ([pp. 45] and [47]).
Yellow Trefoil Pods