(a) Handling the crop prior to inspection.
  (1) Fees. The inspection fee as shown in Table I is required to be paid for each nursery site.
  (2) Applications. All applications for inspection of forest tree seedlings must be filed with the Seed Quality Program at least 30 days before seed sowing.
(b) Nursery, seedbed, and bundle inspection.
  (1) At least two official inspections must be made. One inspection must be made at time of sowing to insure the genetic seed lot applied on for seedling production is sown. One inspection must be made just before plant lifting for compliance with the minimum requirements.
  (2) The nursery is subject to inspection at any time without prior notice.
(c) Seedbed standards.
  (1) General requirements.
    (A) Seed lot restriction. Only one genetic seed lot (species and genetic quality) may be grown on any given area of seedbed. Reference should be made to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph for exception.
    (B) Identification. Each seedbed must be identified as to seed (species and genetic quality).
    (C) Isolation. A seedbed lot must be separated from another seedbed lot (species and/or genetic quality) by at least a 1 1/2-foot parallel path to the side of the seedbed and on the ends by at least a 10-foot space unsown to any other species.
    (D) Roguing. Seedbeds must be rogued for chance windblown seed of wild species of pine. The constant roguing of weeds, noxious weeds, and/or grasses must be practiced throughout the entire seedling production in accordance with sound tree seedling nursery practices.
    (E) Diseases, insects, rodents. Every seedbed must show evidence that the producer is carrying out a program to control all known harmful diseases, insects, and rodents that affect the seedlings.
  (2) Specific requirements at any inspection. Not more than 0.02% (1:5,000) distinguishable off-species is permitted.
(d) Balings standard.
  (1) General requirements.
    (A) Lifting. Precaution must be taken so as to prevent contamination of one lot by another and to maintain the identity of each lot under certification.
    (B) Diseases and insects. Diseased seedlings or seedlings damaged by harmful insects and/or rodents will not be acceptable.
    (C) Size of bale. A standard seedling bale will consist of 2,000 seedlings. However, smaller bales may be packaged on special orders.
    (D) Packing the bale. Roots of the seedlings must be packed in wet spaghum peat moss or some other wetting medium acceptable to the certifying agency. The bale must be wrapped in asphalt treated waterproof kraft paper or in lieu of this it may be wrapped in polyethylene lined paper sufficiently strong enough to withstand packing and shipping. A 3/8 inch metal strap, or equivalent wires, must be used around each end of the bale in such a way as to prevent the seedlings, moss, or wetting medium from falling out. A minimum of one 30-inch wooden stake approximately one inch square must be fixed under the metal straps so as to give the bale rigidity.
  (2) Specific requirements. The following seedling grade specifications for pine are applicable:
    (A) general:
Attached Graphic     (B) root length: minimum five inches with well developed laterals;
    (C) nature of stem: mostly woody, one late surge of flush growth permitted;
    (D) bark on stem: present on lower part, usually on entire stem;
    (E) swelling on stem: absent;
    (F) free of broken or skinned stems, badly skinned or split roots, and stripped needles;
    (G) fascicled needles reddish-purple in most seedlings.
      (i) Bale tolerance.
Attached Graphic       (ii) Other species. Standards for other species and/or groups of species will be included as they become available.
(e) Label requirement. The certification label shall include the information as follows:
  (1) producer's name and address or code designation;
  (2) species;
  (3) subspecies, if applicable;
  (4) genetic quality;
  (5) date packaged;
  (6) lot number (identical to lot number of seed from which plant was produced); and
  (7) quantity (number of seedlings).

Source Note: The provisions of this §10.30 adopted to be effective September 2, 1996, 21 TexReg 7955.