No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 245 



introduced. Although this general principle holds, some firms have 

 greater reputations than others for the distribution of high grade 

 seeds of all classes. It is not uncommon to find a trucker or market 

 gardener who attributes much of his success to the selection and 

 saving of seeds from his own crojjs. Such men often create, unin- 

 tentionally, a demand for their seed. There can be no objection to 

 the use of seed from these specialists if proper care and intelligence 

 have been exercised in selecting, harvesting, curing and storing. 



The home production of vegetable seeds is not a desirable practice 

 with all classes of cultivators. In fact, the desirability of the 

 practice depends almost entirely upon the skill of the grower and 

 the adaptability of soil and climate conditions. The average gar- 

 dener would find it extremely difficult to produce his own celery and 

 cauliflower seed, while it is comparatively simple to procure from the 

 home plantations the very finest seed of tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet 

 corn, peppers and many other vegetables. 



In the selection of seeds it is important to note the vigor of the 

 plants and their power to resist diseases. Then seed should be 

 taken from the most productive plants. Uniformity in size, flavor, 

 color and form of the fruits or products should be given the closest 

 attention. There is no reason why a careful, observing, thoughtful 

 gardener should not produce seed of the highest quality and be able 

 to improve the strains from year to year. 



STABLE MANURES. 



I have been very much interested in recent years as to the views 

 held by market gardeners regarding the value of stable manure for 

 crop production. A great many men on Long Island and quite a 

 large ciass in New Jersey seem to think that stable manure is in- 

 dispensible, while a much smaller class of gardeners practice green 

 manuring to such an extent that stable manures occupy a small 

 place in the treatment of their soils. The great fundamental prin- 

 ciple in the handling of all soils devoted to the production of 

 vegetables is to maintain the supply of vegetable matter. Much of 

 the manure brought from the cities is very deficient in actual plant 

 food and the manure is valuable more because it adds humus to the 

 soil than to its content of actual plant food. Manure is costing 

 some Pennsylvania truckers from two to three dollars per ton spread 

 in the field and there is no objection to the payment of these prices 

 if the grower can make a profit on such costly applications of plant 

 food. To do this it is necessary to intensify in every possible way. 

 More than ordinary ability is required to make a profit on manure 

 at three dollars per ton. 



GREEN MANURES. 



I have learned some valuable lessons in New Jersey relative to 

 the use of green crops for manurial purposes. The soil and climatic 

 conditions of the state are generally well adapted to the growing of 

 those green crops which are worth the most for manurial purposes, 

 such as cow peas and crimson clover. Many New Jersey truckers are 

 taking the advantage of this fact and spending less money than 

 formerly for stable manure shipped from the city. This indicates 

 progress and it is hoped that green manuring in Pennsylvania will 

 become more and more popular with producers of vegetables. 



