TRUSTWORTHY SEED. 33 



plied, there is little doubt that it will in many cases well repay 

 the trouble. But, wherever it is applied, the land should have 

 good drainage : otherwise a heavy fall of rain, coming after an 

 artificial watering, might injure the crops. The land, if hea- 

 vily manured and thoroughly tilled, will endure drouth pretty 

 well without watering. Water, however, is indispensable to 

 the management of the hof^bed and greenhouse ; and many 

 gardeners not within reach of public works, or a natural head, 

 have found their account in erecting private water-works 

 driven by a windmill or small steam-engine. 



In no particular is the skill of the gardener more conspicu- 

 ous than in the raising or selection of his seeds. It is well 

 known that the seed-store is in general the last resort, and 

 often the source of bitter disappointment and serious loss. 

 In making this statement I would not be understood as cast- 

 ing any reflection upon the character of the seedsmen ; they 

 are many of them most reputable and honorable men, for 

 whom personally I entertain great respect. The trouble is not 

 with them so much as it is with the buyers of seeds, who are 

 not willing to pay the price for good seed which it costs to 

 raise it. The care required to produce really good cabbage- 

 seed, or lettuce-seed, or onion-seed, would not be repaid by 

 the prices which these seeds command in the market. The 

 result is that the best gardeners raise their own seed for their 

 own use, or for exchange with such neighbors as they can 

 trust to raise for them some other variety. Of course this is 

 attended with great trouble and expense ; but it is the only 

 sure way of receiving the full reward of one's labor in a very 

 laborious calling. 



Another most important part of the business is the washing, 

 packing, and assorting of the crops for market. This is usually 

 done under the eye of the gardener himself, or only intrusted 

 to some experienced and trusty man. It is an old maxim of 

 trade that goods well put up are already half sold. In no 

 trade is this more true than in the vegetable and fruit trade : 

 clean, neat, well-washed, attractive goods always sell quicklj-, 

 at good prices ; while carelessly prepared stock, that is really 

 as good, will be hard to dispose of at a fair price. 



The wash-house, provided with tubs, convenient benches, 

 and sufficient shelter for the preparation of the crops for the 

 raarket-wagon, is the n^essary appendage of every market- 



6 



