602 



H O R T I C U L T U K JL 



Seed Trade 



AMERrCAN SEED TRADE ASSO- 

 CIATION. 

 WataoD S. Woodruff, Orauge, Coun., 

 Pre*.; J. C. Iloblnson, Waterloo, Neb., 

 riret VIcel'res.; C. K. Keudel, CleTdand, 

 t)., Secy aud Treas. Tweuty-aeveutli an- 

 Bail touveutlju June 22-24, I'JiM, at ClUtOD 

 House, Niagara Kails, Out. 



WHOLESALE SEEDSMEN'S 

 LEAGUE. 

 F. W. Bruggerhof, I'res.; Uuruet l-aud- 

 ntb. Sec'j. 



The Frank S. Piatt Company. 

 The Frank S. Piatt Co. of New 

 Haven, Conn., have sold the large 

 building which they are now occupy- 

 ing and Jlr. Piatt is now planning to 

 retire, though, as he expressed it re- 

 cently, it may be one year or possibly 

 two before he is wholly out of harness. 

 He intends to turn the business over 

 to the young men associated with him, 

 and just how long before they have 

 absolute control depends on the ca- 

 pacity they show for management. Mr. 

 Piatt has served a long apprenticeship 

 in the seed business, having com- 

 menced away back in l!StiC, and he is 

 far from being a patriarch at that. He 

 may be said to be the father of several 

 prosperous florists who learned their 

 business in his employ, as well as one 

 or two vigorous young seed houses. 

 Mr. Piatt has built up a large and 

 prosperous business, and has always 

 been a credit to the trade. He was one 

 of the pioneers in the growing of seed 

 Lima Ijeans in California, and despite 

 the vigorous competition of recent 

 years, still does a large business in 

 that line. It was not learned just 

 •when the new owners are to have pos- 

 session, nor where the Frank S. Piatt 

 Co. is to have their new home, but 

 doubtless this question will receive the 

 •careful and wise consideration for 

 ■which the head of this house has al- 

 ways been noted. 



Crop Prospects in California. 



At this season of the year the vari- 

 ous seed dealers throughout the 

 United States and Canada are natur- 

 ally anxious to get some idea as to 

 the crop prospects here in California. 

 The writer begs to state that we have 

 had a very severe winter with more 

 rain than we have had here for fifty 

 years past. The result has been that 

 on low lands many seed crops have 

 suffered and in various instances total 

 acreages of various seeds have been 

 destroyed. This is especially true on 

 onion crops that were being grown on 

 the Sacramento and San Joaquin 

 River district. One seed grower lost 

 150 acres; another seed grower lost 

 25 acres. These losses were caused 

 ty the breaking of a levee which 

 flooded the land. In the Santa 

 Clara valley district the onions have 

 suffered as a whole by excessive 

 ■water fully 25 per cent, some crops 

 of onions being totally destroyed while 

 other crops of onions are looking re- 

 markably weU. It is the writer's opin- 

 ion that there still remains in good 

 condition sufficient onion going to seed 

 to supply a reasonable demand of the 

 seed trade for the season of 1910. 



Lettuce at the present writing is 

 heing reseeded and at the best we can- 

 not look forward to any large crop of 

 this seed. Of onion, as said before. 



there will be enough to go around 

 with the probable exception of Red 

 Wethersfield and White Portugal. 

 These two sorts, it is our opinion, will 

 1)0 very short. Of carrot, there is a 

 very limited acreage growing here in 

 California this season. What crops 

 are planted are looking well and we 

 can see no reason why we should not 

 harvest a good crop of this seed. Sal- 

 sify is doing well. Sweet peas are 

 doing very well. Radish promises a 

 good crop. Celery, collards, beet, kohl 

 rabi, leek, spinach, parsley, parsnip, 

 mustard and endive all promise a good 

 crop at this time. 



CHAS. P. BRASLAN. 



A Letter to the Seed Trade. 

 Bristol, Pa., April 14, lil09. 

 Xow the Finance Committee of the 

 Senate, presided over by the Hon. 

 N. W. Aldrich, is actively considering 

 the subject of the tariff is the time 

 to write that committee, to the effect 

 that all the seedsmen of the United 

 States are unanimously in favor of a 

 specific duty rather than an ad valo- 

 rem, but solely with the idea of sim- 

 plifying the system of assessment on 

 importations, and to avoid the irrita- 

 tion of Custom House penalties. 



Will you not today write to Senator 

 Aldrich to this effect? 



Respectfully, 

 BURNET LANDRETH. 



Personal and News Notes. 



There has been some improvement 

 in the demand for canned goods, and 

 a more optimistic feeling is permeat- 

 ing that line of business. 



The situation affecting green pod 

 beans has been greatly relieved by 

 offerings from the growers. Had it 

 not been for this, prices would be 

 ruling much higher at the present 

 time. 



O. H. Dickinson of Springfield, Mass., 

 or as he is affectionately known to his 

 friends, "Dick," has been laid up with 

 a severe attack of grippe. He is out 

 again much to his own joy and that of 

 his friends, and busy as never before. 



Counter trade is now in full blast, 

 and there are not enough hours in 

 the day to enable seedsmen to trans- 

 act their business. It is fortunate that 

 union hours do not obtain in the seed 

 business, or many houses would have 

 to shut up shop. 



Jerome B. Rice, with his wife and 

 son, have been spending a short vaca- 

 tion at Atlantic City, and all have re- 

 turned home greatly invigorated and 

 refreshed. Mr. Rice's popularity con- 

 tinues to grow with advancing years, 

 and no seedsman is more universally 

 respected or beloved by his colleagues. 



John C. Caswell, manager of the 

 garden seed department for The W. E. 

 Barrett Co., of Providence, R. I., who 

 has spent a great part of the past win- 

 ter in a hospital where he underwent 

 two critical operations, is again at his 

 desk. He is hardly able as yet to en- 

 gage in a Marathon race, but is able 

 to direct the affairs of his department, 

 much to his own satisfaction and the 

 relief and pleasure of his superiors. 



The Senate has granted the request 

 oif the seedsmen by amending the 



April 24, 1903 



Aster Seed 



Our Aster seed is grown for us by 

 experienced and reliable growers, and 

 cannot be excellcil tor qnalitv of .seed 

 and ;.Tiril,v of sleek. 



Improved Semple's Branching 



A str.iln wlilf'h lias l)een secured by 

 .\ears of carefal selection. 



Tr. Pkt Oz. 



Crimson 40 $1.50 



Lavender 40 1.50 



Shell Pink 40 1.50 



Rose Pink 40 1.50 



Purple 40 1.50 



White 40 1.50 



Mixed 40 1.50 



For other varieties see our General 

 Wliolcsnie Catalogue; a copy mailed 

 for the asking. 



HENRY F. MIGHELL CO. 



1018 Market St., PHILA. 



tariff bill as it went to them from the 

 House, and placing a specific duty on 

 seeds. It is hoped this will not be 

 changed when the bill passes the Sen- 

 ate and goes to conference. Those 

 having the matter in charge should 

 be alert at that time to prevent this. 



It may or may not be generally 

 known, that the McMoran-Gray Co., of 

 Port Huron. Mich., are not growing 

 any contract peas for future delivery. 

 Taking advantage of tne high prices 

 cif peas the past fall and winter, they 

 have sold off their seed-stocks except- 

 ing just enough to produce their own 

 seed-stock for 1910. Mr. Gray is no 

 longer connected with the concern. 



McMinnville, Ore. — G. S. Crego, the 

 aster specialist, will grow his seed 

 here this season. 



Amherst, Mass. — A seed house be- 

 longing to Lafayette Goodell was de- 

 stroyed by fire on April 13. 



Ottawa, Can. — Graham Bros, con- 

 template the erection of an up-to-date 

 seed storehouse on the land they have 

 recently acquired on Sparks St. 



Monticello, Fla.— D. H. Gilbert is 

 adding a two-story brick building for 

 storing watermelon seeds. He has 

 planted 1,200 acres this year, and 

 hopes to harvest about 125.000 pounds 

 of the fruit. 



The Oflice of Public Buildings and 

 Grounds. Washington, D. C, announces 

 that sealed proposals, in duplicate, will 

 be received until 2 p. m.. May 10, for 

 furnishing during the year ending 

 June 30, 1910, florists' supplies; flower 

 pots; paints, oils, glass, etc.; iron pipe 

 and plumbers' supplies; manure and 

 fertilizers: lime, cem'ent, felt, etc; sod; 

 fuel; lumber. Separate proposals for 

 each class. Further information can 

 be obtained from Spencer Cosby at 

 above address. 



CEO. E. DOW 



Designing and Illustrating 



178 Washington St., Boston, Mast. 

 OUR SPECIALTY 



Machine, Booklet. Aduertlslng and Flower 



PHOTOGRAPHS 



