ANNUAL MEETING AT SAGINAW. 485 



day or the following one, a part of the load is packed in crates and shipped 

 to some village or town 50 to 200 miles away ; there it is displayed in a com- 

 mission house and sold to retailers, who get it to the consumers in from one 

 to four days from the time it was gatheied. Another portion is sold to the 

 local retailor who displays it that day, but does not send it to his customers 

 until the next. 



Now what is the result of this change in methods ? 



1st. 0/1- the varieties used — Could it be otherwise than to tend to the almost 

 exclusive use of these varieties which have good market qualities to the 

 neglect of others. That this is so, my acquaintance with the seed trade 

 enables me to answer most positively in the affirmative. I believe it to be true 

 that in most species of our common vegetables, where a dozen varieties are 

 usually offered, nine-tenths of the seed sold is included within as few as 

 three sorts; and that not more then one of these would be included in what 

 a competent judge would consider the best six of the twelve varieties of the 

 list, quality for the table to rule. 



2d. Influence on consitmjJtiofi. — By giving large quantities of the particu- 

 lar vegetable suited to his soil, selecting the sort which is most profitable for 

 market, and makes the best show there, without regard to its actual table 

 quality, by delivering direct his entire daily product, the modern market gar- 

 dener can put into the market his particular vegetables at prices which a few 

 years ago would be considered much less than cost, and a general collection is 

 made up from different localities, so that the city markets are filled with great 

 quantities of fine looking vegetables at low prices, and city residents buy 

 them freely. On the other hand, when the old time gardener or the farmer 

 brings in his surplus he finds that he can get so little that he declares it is 

 useless for him to grow them, and that henceforth he will buy what he needs, 

 and so gives up his garden, but fails to buy as he expected and gradually gets 

 out of the habit of using vegetables at all. The result is an increasing con- 

 sumption of vegetables in the cities and larger towns and a decreased use inu 

 the villages and on the farms. 



3d. Its effect on the satisfaction of the consumer. — Vegetables as now grown 

 and brought to the table are merely articles of food, to which there is 

 attached no interest outside of simply satisfying hunger; and all the enjoy- 

 ment of tasting that which your own care and skill have developed, is lost. 

 Again, the vegetables do not reach the consumer until long past the time 

 that they can be called fresh, and so lack all flavor and quality, and 

 people soon cease to care for them. 



I have been surprised at illustrations of this in my own experience, one of 

 which I will give. Situated as I am I have not the soil for producing the 

 best celery and our market is full of celery which, when it left the ground,, 

 was better than any I could grow of that variety and much of it better than 

 any T could grow of any variety, but during the past season I have sent fresh 

 celery to at least ten families in Detroit, all of whom bought the very best 

 the market afforded for their table, and the universal report has been, "0, 

 I enjoyed that celery so much, it is so different from anything we can buy. I 

 don't usually eat it but I liked that — I wish we could buy such. I would be 

 willing to pay anything for it." So often have such reports come to me that 

 I believe there is no opening in a horticultural way that promises such large 

 pecuniary returns as the establishmenc near our cities of gardens where a^ 

 variety of vegetables is grown and can be delivered fresh direct to the con- 

 sumer. 



