406 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



would both increase the sales of the dealer and assure the public that the 

 variety has value. 



In the course of our variety tests we have had frequent occasion to 

 ascertain the character of the seeds sold by different dealers, both as to 

 vitality and the value of the strains, and we believe that most of them are 

 doing what they can to keep their seeds up to a high standard. We find 

 that as a rule far better results are obtained when the seeds are ordered 

 direct from the dealers, rather than purchased as box or bulk seeds of a 

 grocer; but, however reliable a seedsman may be, it will always be found 

 safest to test the vitality of the seeds before putting in the crop. Seeds of 

 low germinating power are occasionally sent out by all dealers, unwittingly 

 oftentimes, and a few minutes spent in testing the seeds may save one 

 from serious pecuniary, as well as a vexatious, loss. 



The tests of the cabbages, cauliflower, sweet corn, and peas have been 

 under the charge of my assistant, Mr. R. J. Coryell, and the report was 

 prepared by him, while Mr. H. P. Gladden has looked after the beans, 

 celery, cucumbers, lettuce, salsify, squashes, and tomatoes, and has pre- 

 pared the appended notes. Quite a variety of other vegetables were grown, 

 but in very few of them were there any novelties that have been found 

 better than the old sorts. 



The seeds used in the tests were obtained from the following firms: 

 Robert Buist, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa. ; Atlee Burpee & Co., Philadelphia, 

 Pa.; Currie Bros., Milwaukee, Wis.; D. M. Ferry & Co., Detroit, Mich.; 

 J. J. H. Gregory, Marblehead, Mass.; Peter Henderson & Co., New York; 

 T>. Landreth & Sons, Philadelphia, Pa.; A. W. Livingston's Sons, Colum- 

 bus, Ohio; W. H. Maule & Co., Philadelphia, Pa.; A. M. Nichol, Gran- 

 ville, Ohio; W. W. Rawson, Boston, Mass.; John A. Salzer, La Crosse, 

 Wis.; J. M. Thorburn & Co., New York City, and J. C. Vaughan, Chicago, 

 111. 



CABBAGE. 

 R. J. CORYELL. 



The forty-eight varieties tested this year included nearly all of the new 

 sorts listed by the seedsmen, and some of the standard kinds for compari- 

 son. The seeds were sown in the forcing house on March 20. The plants 

 were transplanted into flats on April 8 and set in the field May 16. 



The severity of the drought, which extended from July 16 to well into 

 September, was so great that the test was a failure in that many kinds 

 headed out of season. The test was of value since it showed clearly those 

 kinds that would produce a good crop under adverse conditions. The 

 earliest varieties were not affected, the injury being most severe on those 

 that mature at midseason or later. Of these the larger kinds, or those 

 that have many leaves, suffered most. The medium-size varieties that 

 had but few outside leaves were generally uniform in heading and pro- 

 duced a fair crop. 



Of the early varieties the Etampes, Currie, and Lightning, Salzer, were 

 the first to head. The latter, a strain of the Wakefield, produced very even, 

 solid heads. The Charleston Wakefield, Henderson, was a day or so 

 later and enough larger to make up the difference in time. Eclipse, 

 Currie, advertised as a second-early variety, matured with the Charleston 



