Can anyone help me?

I am playing a bassoon, and I just purchased some new reeds from the store, and they`re Emeralds, which are different then the Jones reeds I enjoy using. Has anyone ever heard of the Emerald brand? The problem is they work just fine when they are by themselves, but when I put it in the bocal, the reed develops a "croaking" problem, where it will play two ways. One way where it works great, and another where it sounds weak and croaky, making my notes sound ridiculously flat! I can`t keep a good tone and tongue at the same time like I could on the Jones reeds. I`d love to get Jones, but I didn`t buy it, I have no instructor, and I can`t make my own reeds yet. What can I do to stop the croaking?

Maybe you need to just break the reed in, soak it better, i don`t know. I have never had a reed do that( I have played on scores of reeds). You may try returning it(yeah right) or just chunk it and get a new jones.