418 



HORTICULTURE 



September 2S, 1907 



Seed Trade 



Tbe warm weather of the past week 

 has been of great benefit to corn and, 

 in fact, all late crops, but just how 

 much of a crop corn will prove to be 

 can onlv be conjectured. No definite 

 news has come to hand during the 

 past fortnight concerning crops, but 

 no doubt something will be known 

 soon. 



There will be onion sets enougn in 

 all probability, and the quality prom- 

 ises to be better than last year. It is 

 estimated that the crop will be about 

 75 per cent, of an average. The crop 

 of Kentucky Blue Grass seed, esti- 

 mated at over one million bushels 

 (practically a two years' supply), has 

 again been cornered. This time the 

 "Trust Busting" farmers of Kentucky 

 have helped the scheme along. Mem- 

 bers of the Society of Equity com- 

 bined to hold the seed for a certain 

 price, and they got it. Such is the 

 power of organization. 



may be among the luxuries in the near 

 luture. 



By the way, this Society of Equity 

 has" become a great power in the 

 West and bids fair to become an in- 

 fluential factor in fixing the prices of 

 farm products. In fact, it is such al- 

 ready. It is claimed by its members 

 that they are responsible for the pres- 

 ent high prices of grain to a consider- 

 able extent. Dollar wheat, sixty-cent 

 corn and fifty-cent oats is the slogan 

 of the Society of Equity, and the 

 writer has information that a move- 

 ment is afoot to hold back these crops 

 until they can realize the prices 

 named. This possibly accounts in 

 some measure for the comparatively 

 small receipts at the great grain cen- 

 ters, and which resulted the past week 

 in a decrease of nearly 1,500,000 

 bushels in the visible wheat supply, 

 whereas at this time of year the nor- 

 mal condition should have shown an 

 increase of about this quantity. 



Perhaps few of our readers a'S 

 aware that our erstwhile friend. J. A. 

 Everitt of Indianapolis, is the founder 

 and present very efficient head of the 

 Societv of Equity. "Uptodate Farm- 

 ing and Gardening." of which Mr. 

 Everitt is editor, is the organ of the 

 Society of Equity, and has a large 

 circulation. 



As a further indication that organ- 

 ization is the order of the day. it may 

 be said that a movement is on foot to 

 organize a "National Society of Truck 

 Growers." If this is successful, it 

 is likely to be in time only an adjunct 

 of the Society of Equity. 



Late peas have sold in Buffalo as 

 high as $2.25 per bushel, and 160 

 bushels have been picked from a sow- 

 ing of two bushels of seed. Pretty 

 good business is farming; at least, 

 truck farming. 



Reports of damage to the bean crop 

 are in circulation, but how serious has 

 not yet developed. We shall have 

 more reliable information in a week or 

 two. 



Unfavorable reports of the potato 

 crop are coming from many sections 

 and if they prove true the "Murphys" 



Mr. Alfred Emerich, representing 

 Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co., 

 Paris, France, will reach New York 

 about September 28th, and will pay 

 his usual visit to their American cus- 

 tomers in the seed trade. All com- 

 munications for Mr. Emerich should 

 be addressed care of H. Frank Dar- 

 row, 26 Barclay street, New York. 



CONRAD APPEL'S REPORT ON THE 



1907 CROP OF EUROPEAN 



GRASS AND CLOVER SEEDS. 



Regarding the Natural Grass Seeds, 

 I beg to mention that the homegrown 

 sorts have much suffered from the un- 

 settled and unfavorable weather in 

 May and June, and therefore we will 

 this season see greatly varying quali- 

 ties, Dright colors will be scarce and in 

 demand 



Of Agrostis stolonifera (Marsh Bent 

 Grass homegrown) a shorter yield is 

 expected than last fall, and high prices 

 are offered to the owners already 

 though harvesting will not commence 

 before the middle of this month. 



Aira caespitosa (Tufted Hair Grass) 

 brought a smaller result, too, and 

 higher prices than last year must be 

 paid for raw seed. 



The yield of Aira flexuosa (Yellow- 

 ish Oat Grass of the trade) is about 

 the same as last year, the quality 

 seems to be better and heavier. Un- 

 reasonable prices have been paid by 

 some dealers and therefore, prices will 

 nile higher this season. 



Alopecurus pratensis (Meadow Fox- 

 tail) turned out a larger crop than 

 last year. The samples I have already 

 received show a. satisfactory quality 

 and contain less larvae than the year 

 before. As you know, last season the 

 owners asked very high prices for the 

 raw seed, and therefore the demand 

 for cleaned seed was not very animat- 

 ed. In spite of the bigger new crop 

 the owners are now quoting much 

 higher figure*, having made a combins 

 to keep the prices. Under these cir- 

 cumstances it seems to be very risky 

 to conclude transactions at the pres- 

 ent moment, basing upon prices which 

 rule from 90 to 9.5. — Marks per cwt. 

 cif German seaport. — Considering the 

 difficult cleaning of this sort and tak- 

 ing into account the loss in chaff, you 

 will perhaps on the strength of r.he 

 above prices of the raw seed be able to 

 form yourselves an approximate idea 

 of the prices which have to be quoted 

 this season for high grade cleaned 

 Meadow Foxtail. It is therefore ad- 

 visable to wait with purchases until 

 the situation of the market is more 

 settled. 



Anthoxanthum odoratum (Sweei 

 scented Vernal, true) yielded a partic- 

 ularly short crop and higher prices 

 may be expected for good nice lots. 

 Also .Anthoxanthum puelli (Sweet 

 Scented \ernal, puelli) yielded a small- 

 er quantity than last fall and will be 

 quoted at a higher rate. 



Avena elatior (Tall Oat Grass) 

 brou.ght an average crop in Austria, 

 but the quality cannot compete with 

 the French product. As to the latter 

 correct informations cannot yet be 

 given, as the new harvest is somewhat 

 delayed by rainy weather. Reports 

 announce a smaller crop but excellent 



qualities. Firm offers will not come 

 on the market before end of this 

 month. 



Avena flavesceus (Yellowish Oat 

 Grass, true) I cannot yet give a re- 

 liable report, this sort being not yet 

 harvested. The same refers to Bro- 

 mus mollis (Brome Grass) and Bromus 

 pratensis (Meadow Brome Grass), 

 whilst Bromus inermis (Awnless 

 Brome Grass) is reported to bring a 

 good yield with satisfactory qualiti;;s 



Cynosurus cristatus (Crested Dogs- 

 tail) had suffered by heavy rains dur- 

 ing its development and maturity in 

 some principal centres of production, 

 therefore darker colors will probably 

 be prevalent, and bright lots will sure- 

 ly be in strong demand. 



Dactylis glomerata (Cocksfoot). The 

 crop in Germany, Austria and France 

 was only limited and higher prices 

 than last year were asked for. The 

 yield in New Zealand is also much be- 

 low an average crop and especially 

 for bright lots much higher prices ihan 

 in previous years had to be granted. 

 The demand is very quiet now owing 

 to these high prices, in the end they 

 will have to be granted, as the quan- 

 tit.v harvested is not sufficient for the 

 usual requirements. 



Festuca arundinacea, elatior (Tall 

 Fescue, true). The genuine Rhenish 

 Seed which is only grown in a small 

 district in this neighborhood, brought 

 this season one-third less than last 

 fall, and in consequence higher prices 

 had to be paid to the growers. I was 

 able to obtain the bigger part of the 

 new crop and am already occupied with 

 the cleaning of my lots. The new- 

 seed is of an excellent quality, and the 

 germination is very satisfactory, too. 

 The prices for well cleaned seed are 

 ruling favorably considering the short- 

 ness of the crop. 



Festuca duriuscula, ovina (Hard and 

 Sheep's Fescue). At the beginning 

 the outlook entitled to the best expec- 

 tations, and the owners had the best 

 hopes for a rich harvest. But owing 

 to the continued rainy weather the 

 color of this species has suffered, and 

 the seed is darker than last year's. 

 Bright lots are very rare, and besides, 

 there is a great loss in cleaning, as the 

 new crop contains much light seed and 

 chaff, so that my fancy and superfine 

 qualities will command higher pricss 

 than last season. 



Festuca ovina angustifolia (Fine- 

 leaved Fescue) yielded an extraordi- 

 narily short crop, and consequently 

 was only obtainable at very high 

 prices. The lots are now coming in 

 and the quality turns out satisfactory. 

 It is not yet possible to say anything 

 definite regarding the germinative 

 power and the results of the cleaning 

 of the new crop; undoubtedly high 

 prices have to be charged for well 

 cleaned qualities. 



Festuca heterophylla (Var. leaved 

 Fescue, true) and Festuca rubra (Red 

 Fescue, true) which sorts grow in 

 Germany only in limited quantities, 

 yielded about the same as in 1906. N.- 

 Z. Red Fescue is this year quoted at 

 such high figures, that it does not pay 

 for our market. 



Holcus lanatus (Soft Grass, home- 

 grown). It is still too early to give 

 any information on the new crop. 



Lolium italicum (Italian Ryegrass) 

 According to reports from Great Brit- 

 ain this sort is now in harvest, and a 



