TRANSACTIONS OF HORTICULTURAL SOCIKTY' OF NORTHERN ILL. 



291 



nutraeg-melon seed and offered five cents per paper if but two seeds in 

 the paper would grow and prove true to name, and on these terms bought 

 several papers, but all were alike worthless. 



Mr. Williams. — While I am aware that there is much cheating on 

 the part of seedsmen in sending out the same seed, with a little good seed 

 mixed in, repeatedly, yet the germination depends much upon the way 

 they are treated by the planter. 



The President — As I have done something at market gardening I 

 may as well let out one of the gardeners' secrets. They get good seed, 

 but they /ay nearly five times as much as those do who buy the old, poor, 

 mixed seed at the stores, even when buying from the same parties. 



*He related an incident in which the Commissioner of Agriculture 

 wished a large lot of seeds of a certain variety, and of which one party 

 offered him good seed, though at a price which he thought exorbitant; he 

 refused to purchase, and bought from another party at a much lower price. 

 Mr. William Saunders, of Washington, bought the "high-priced" seed 

 and it proved a good bargain, all being fresh, plump seed; while that 

 bought by the Commissioner was very inferior. 



WINTER-KILLING OF FRUIT-TREES. 



Mr. MiNKLER handed the following question to the Secretary, which 

 was read : 



Will fruit-trees be liable to be killed above ground if their roots are 

 not locked up in frost ? 



The question was answered in the affirmative by several members. 

 The President explained that the winter-killing of fruit-trees was not 

 caused so much by the degree of cold as by the condition of the tree and 

 the soil when they go into the winter; that if the ground is unfrozen and 

 covered with deep snows and the sap circulating quite freely, intense cold, 

 especially if coming suddenly, will damage the trees. 



GREENHOUSE PLANTS AND INSECTS. 



The President called for the report of Committee on Greenhouse 

 Plants. 



Mr. Williams, from the Committee, said he had no report prepared ; 

 had forgotten that he was placed upon the committee, but would state 

 that there had been a revival of business in this department; the demand 



