The Trade in Agricultural Seeds.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 233, 17 December 1887, Page 2

The Trade in Agricultural Seeds.

Ox inquiry a\c have abceitained thaO some yemsago a sample lot, consisting" i Gf two bags of seed, lepiescnted to bo Kew Zea-land-grown white clo\cr, was forwarded to a well-known firm in the ■'cccl trade in this city with the \icw to eflect the sale of a considerable parcel. On examination of the N-miplc it was .v-cainincd that the larger proportion "ua- the i-eed of the Icsaer tretoil, and the linn 1 chined to piucha.-e in con.-.'j^uence. J\ofctM.a l\ey*!= lecent warn ino- to farmers in reference to the purchase of clo\oi.~-, '-u^^ested by ttic e'an.inai'ion of a similar impure sample, (•hould, in the nature of things, impu-^ upon bineic the nceewty tor the exercise of great caution m iheir pui chase of seeds oi all kinds. We i'ave, however, grave doubts that ad\iee or warning will be thrown j,way u[)on nine fanner- out of ten. In the ih-t place, they have nob, nor do they tcek ro aequh e, any knowledge of the characteristics or t lie lclative \alucs of the hi any varieties oi the pa-^o* and clovers, foi example. In buj m^ the^e tho inling eonsiderat'on is cheapnc--*, and consequently the ptandarl of trade ha* been tailing lower and lower year aft^r jear. A \ alued correspondent has lavouied us with the following clipping, which apt'y applies' to the trade in .seeds heie this sp-ing: — " i'oor f-eedp, poor &eed^ ' My experience is that ifc is chielly the buyers' laulfc. People want low-priced articles, and there will always* be found dealer* to cater tor them. The re 'ate seedsmen a\ ho raiely sell a po r seed. There are eseJsmen who iai\ly .-.ell a good one ; and if pejple buy the^e cheap (') -eeds it is little matter if they ger -tucU.' So v.'ri us \V. F. Masrey m the _,' rHrh'cin (! ai dm of li L t Augu -A, and it oecuirf to v.« that n note of warning is needed heic and now. On seeking information in ugardto this season's need trade here, and nioic especially in reference fco the graces and clover-, a member of an established firm very freely and candidly submitted his \ie\vs of the position and the ciieum-tanees which control ti»o minket. Summarised, his obs-er\atons are as follows :— " The competition in seeds new adays is such that quality i* being liced to price, and of coov&q the fanner is certain to be the sud'eier. Doth bnyeid and sellers are to blame tor this— the former lrom want of consideration of what the^o low-priced seeds will lead to, and the latter foi pnidering to the desire which they have cieated. Local dealers, to secure local trade and maintain or acquit e a reputation for cheapness, fix on a luw'-prioed articl", and oi course the quality suppliei has to he regulated accordingly. Under these circumstances theie is httie or no sale for a lirstcLiss a i tide,- and no inducement to import it : indeed, the inducement is tlio other way, because a profit and a sale can be made of fiith and sixth-rate quality, while the best will nob fetch a price to cover cost. Where and to what is the course of trade tending ? those -interested may veil ask. The reply involves no mysteries. 1 The impoi^or, finding that prime or even good qualities are unsold at the and of the season, or have been quitted at a loss, cither -erases to import these qualities,or retires from the business. It h reported that one firm has already decided on ike latter course, or must yield to jbhe ' roar' for & low-priced article and provide it. Anti, mark, the low-price of to-day has to fee euccee-ied by- a low 1 price and a- lower -quality to-raorrow, for w here price is- the consideration and not qiiality, there can a quality be- found to euit the price. In ,th€r London and Continental markets you can be supplied at any price you elect to name. " White elover-^so called ' — was offered in Danedin for this season's trade lor 25s»perl cwt, f.o.b. at Hamburg — that is, under 3d per 1b ; and the facts have been vouched for that the siftings from the London -seed dressing "machines are bought and exported to be again used for adulterating/ The remedy for all this is to let quality rule the value, arid quality, not price, the standasd.-' In further proif ' of the growing' indifference of" farmers as to the quality of the .seeds they biuy, we cite tlio following 1 facts. A business firm, not in" the seed trade,- but with - ait. extensive connection, imported a considerable quantity of- ohdice^elover seeds for the spring trade of .1886, 'at* a cost, landed, _of 70s 4d~per ,cwt. - Very few- customers would give the • price/ and to, effect 1 sales 75s per OWb' was accented "towards the end' of theseason rin'< order >tb clear off the §toclcon-hsnd; Taught by-experieftce. the' same firm imported for this Reason's trade Inferior qualitiesutrla\r^seB*i^Fßre6e seeds Sell-readily and at aprofit, whereas last year's .tta^saetions^sjjltejj^ a considerable. lo>s. Thus it is "too painfully_jbvjdent that as regards the grasses ,a,nd s ployej:s the etan-. darJTof qriafity^ifi' seeds % being gradually^ •lowered/ s cpnnectfes Wit& ' tHe*' trade- are ' rdbrdgroding/ and tlmipmuoV of tfie 'feult-resfcs 'with'tKe' farmers. _;It"is , ",tvu^ « th'at'^ intelligent '' farmers— eelQ^n'o jQthferftTian superior seedfe' *Ift/d wM ! ietmedMe houses J ib"' ithte tpa^l ff*?t?«ff l fti fI X quanted with the legitimate business, and who very frequently contract themselves

out of all responsibility in regard to the purity, vigour, and even the varieties of the seeds they sell, a farnm^nay send an order for a parcel of a eertaihsvariety of seed, and when delivered at the farm or when branded he finds that it was impure or a largo proportion did not germinate, he is without a Tenjedy as*aaainet vendor. The farmer may?©' ven mS^o loo^<jh ) &$ the seeds in^'score, AutAnotkJbwng^^^l ig^to^j^ often t]^tjase,-ta_ *?^$ g4tip i^dgwlie. i|*|alfc'e,d overwind, onty '•<Ussovetfi vi&erpie receives tho inwcftr that l'unGlsr th& l?ead{ng t|iett& is#;provielj,'discara- • ingfyHreppofysibijitylwhatever connected with vhnpOTi^tesV'aflultieratian^ or misdescription. Hence it is^that imported seeds of very inferior quality find wholesale purchasers, who, in their turn, sell it with impunity to the careless farmoiv We know of one parcel of "grass' seeds", said to be imported from Germany, which iW&s' h'awked about the cityrecently. Absolute rubbish though it was, purchasers were -found for Hyand doubtlessr lt will find a place in " specially prepared mixtures." Years ago abundant evidence Was submitted to the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of England that Continental grass seeds especially, were as a rule largely adulterated. It transphed at the time that extensive purchases in the United Kingdom were made on German account of perennial ryegrass seed, and that an extensive trade with the North of lielaud had been established. This perennial ryegra^s seed imported into Germany was used in adulterating the more valuable seeds of several of the permanent grosses, and to such an extent have theso fraud* been carried on that British firms instructed their agents on the Continent nbout 12 months ago, to insist on special tests and guarantees when making wholesale purchases. Professor Ivoy's intimation that he is prepared to undertake tho examination of samples of seeds for farmei s fieo of cost is exceedingly opportune, and we trust the concession will he widely availed of. An additional benefit would be confcired on the agricultural community were the results of the examinations made public. We have 'no hesitation in saying that a greater boon could not bo confcired on the masses engaged in agiicultural and pastoral pursuit". Propoily supported, the Canterbury Agiiculltuul College may be made available in many ways for safeguarding the intcie s ts of iaimero and grazier?, and to this end the Government may well be called upon to* subsidise tho institution, in order that tho privileges of Chemical analysis of soils, mamuc-., &c, •and botanical and entomological investigations may be -within reach of those directly interested in rmal puivjuit- 1 . While on the subject of seeds, it may be prolitable to quote from the v ' Instructions 'for selecting- and sending samples to the society-; botanist," issued by the Royal Agricultural Society, England : — "In sending seed or corn fur examination, tho utmost care must be taken to secure a fair and honest sample. It) the ca^e of grass seeds the simple should be thawn from the font re of the sack or bag, and in all cases fiom tho bulk delivered to the pui chaser. \\ hen po«^ible, at least loz. ot grass and other small seeds should be and 2oz of cereals or larger seeds. The exact name under which the Feed has been bought (but pieferably a copy of the invoice) should accompany the sample." 'In a note it is ex plained that the botanist's reports "aie furnished to enable members — purchasers of sccda and corn for agricultural purposes — to test tho value of what they buy, and are not t ) be used o"r made available for adver£i«ipfr or trade purposes by seedsmen or oi henvise. "—Ofacjo Wifnas.