Most likely it's a Dept. of Agriculture regulation that requires them to include the weight on the packaging. If they also included the number of seeds some busybody would probably sue for pain & suffering & emotional distress when they were shorted a kumquat seed or two.

Well put! Thanks, John!

I think the catalogs do say the number of seeds in the pack.

Anyplace I've ever ordered seed from always mention the number of seeds as part of the catalog description. I don't remember, of the top of my head, if the number is also listed on the individual packaging.

I can't remember the last time I bought any seeds 'off the rack', so I don't know they're packaged.

I agree...knowing about how many seeds per package can be important, especially for someone not used to buying seeds by weight. Compare a gram of (say) portulaca seeds at 8,400 (a whopping 235,000 per oz.), with (just for fun) corn, which weighs in a around 10 seeds per gram (280 seeds per oz.).

Perfect analogy, Dorie! I never gave the issue a lot of thought until it came up as a question on the MG helpline. My guess is that the average W-M shopper who purchases 'off the rack' seeds would benefit from this info and the seed companies could cover themselves by adding an estimate nomenclature on the seed count.

Maybe it's like buying hotdog buns and weiners. You get 10 or 12 weiners per package and only 8 buns.