LAW.coLAW.co

FRED BAUMGARTNER v. WILLIAM GLESENER

Minnesota Supreme Court1927-05-13No. No. 25,940
171 Minn. 289

Summary

Holding. The trial court's jury instruction was correct in stating that the seller warranted the seed would germinate at either 95 or 80 percent. The order denying a new trial is affirmed.

A seed corn seller advertised his product as having a 95 percent germination rate and as being well-suited to the local area. The buyer relied on this advertisement, purchased the seed, and planted it across 26 acres while using his own seed corn on 4 acres of the same field. The purchased seed performed poorly, yielding only about half the crop per acre compared to the buyer's own seed and neighboring fields. The seller claimed he had told the buyer in person that the germination rate was actually only 80 percent, though the buyer denied this conversation occurred.

At trial, the court instructed the jury that the seller had warranted the seed would germinate at either 95 or 80 percent, depending on which party's account of the conversation they found credible. The seller appealed this instruction, arguing that the warranty concerned only the results of a laboratory germination test, not the actual performance of seeds planted in the field. The court rejected this argument, finding that both an express warranty (from the advertisement) and an implied warranty (that seed sold for planting would reasonably germinate if properly planted) applied to this transaction.

Summary generated by law.co from the public-domain opinion. The opinion text itself is public domain.

Key issues

  • Whether a positive advertisement regarding seed germination creates an express warranty
  • Whether an implied warranty of reasonable fertility applies to seed sold for planting
  • Whether express and implied warranties can coexist in a seed sale transaction
  • Whether a warranty of germination test results differs from a warranty of germinating power

Procedural posture

The seller appealed from a trial court's denial of his motion for a new trial following a jury verdict in favor of the buyer for breach of warranty of seed corn.

Authorities cited

No cited authorities resolved to law.co cases yet.

Opinion

majority opinion

Lees, C.

Respondent recovered a verdict in an action for damages for breach of warranty of seed corn grown and sold by appellant, who has appealed from an order denying a new trial.

In March and April, 1925, appellant published an advertisement in Renville county newspapers offering for sale Yellow Murdock 1923 seed corn and representing that the corn was graded, well acclimated to Renville county, and that its germinating test was 95 per cent. Respondent saw the advertisement, called on appellant, purchased some of the corn and planted it in a field of 30 acres, of which four acres were planted with seed corn respondent had grown and 26 acres with the corn sold by appellant.

Appellant testified that, prior to the date of the sale, he discovered that in some instances only SO per cent of the corn germinated, that he did not change his advertisement but told those who came to buy that it tested as above stated; and that he gave respondent this information. This was flatly denied by respondent. The corn with which respondent planted four acres of the field was also of the Murdock variety and it had a germinating test of 85 per cent. The soil of the 30-acre field was of the same quality and the whole field was prepared for planting and planted in the same manner and on the same day. The whole field was cultivated alike and all the corn received the same care. The portion of the field planted with the seed purchased from appellant had a poor stand. Much of the seed failed to germinate and the yield was about half as much per acre as the yield from the remainder of the field and from a larger field adjoining, which was also planted with respondent’s seed corn.

The evidence showed that seed corn having a germinating test of much less than 95 per cent would have produced a much better stand and yield than respondent obtained. From land planted with his own seed corn he had a yield of 44 bushels an acre, while from similar land planted with the seed purchased from appellant the yield did not exceed 22 bushels an acre.

The court instructed the jury that the evidence showed conclusively that appellant warranted his corn to have a germinating test of either 95 or 80 per cent, the percentage depending on whether the jury believed or disbelieved appellant’s testimony as to his conversation with respondent at the time of the sale. The giving of this instruction is assigned as error.

It is conceded that appellant did not warrant that any specific percentage of the corn would germinate when planted, and, citing Moorhead v. Minneapolis Seed Co. 139 Minn. 11, 165 N. W. 484, L. R. A. 1918C, 391, Ann. Cas. 1918E, 481, it is argued that the warranty had reference to a germinating test as distinguished from germinating power.

Appellant testified to the conversation with respondent at the time of the sale and argues that, if the jury believed the testimony, there was no warranty that when planted in a field any of the seed would germinate; hence that the instruction was erroneous.

The advertisement contained a positive affirmation as to the quality of the seed. It was made for the purpose of selling the corn, and was relied on by respondent. Appellant’s testimony concerning the alleged conversation showed nothing more than a modification of the warranty contained in the advertisement, reducing the percentage ascertained by the germinating tests from 95 to 80.

According to the weight of authority, in the sale of seed necessarily intended for planting, a warranty will ordinarily be implied that the seed is reasonably fertile and will germinate if properly planted. G. B. Shaw & Co. v. Smith, 45 Kan. 334, 25 Pac. 886, 11 L. R. A. 681; Butler v. Moore, 68 Ga. 780, 45 Am. Rep. 508; Reiger v. Worth, 127 N. C. 230, 37 S. E. 217, 52 L. R. A. 362, 80 Am. St. 798; Ferris v. Comstock, Ferre & Co. 33 Conn. 513; Moore v. Koger, 113 Mo. App. 423. See also Shatto v. Abernethy, 35 Minn. 538, 29 N. W. 325.

The complaint alleges an express warranty, and, as a general rule, such a warranty excludes one by implication; but since the adoption of the uniform sales act, although an express warranty of quality be given, one not inconsistent with it may also be implied. Section 15, uniform sales act (G. S. 1923, § 8390); Kitowski v. Thompson Yards, Inc. 150 Minn. 436, 185 N. W. 504. See also Rinaldi v. Mohican Co. 225 N. Y. 70, 73, 121 N. E. 471.

There was both an express and an implied warranty of the seed corn, and there can be no doubt about the correctness of the instruction complained of.

Order affirmed.