Since the publication of bulletins 88 and 99 on the subject of seed investigation, the Botanical Section has continued a study of the seeds offered for sale to the farmers of Iowa. Bulletin 88 contains the studies for 1906, bulletin 99 the studies for 1907, and the present publication contains the results of our work for 1908 and 1909.

Since the operation of the Iowa law it has been our experience that the quality of the seed sold to the farmers is much better than formerly. Hundreds of samples sent to us by the farmers of this state for analysis indicate that they desire to protect themselves from the introduction of noxious weeds, especially dodder, quack grass, buckhorn, dock, and Canada thistle. The farmers have also learned that it is far better to buy a better quality of seed, seed that does not contain these noxious weeds, than that containing a goodly number of weed seeds that would prove harmful to agriculture.