218 



HORTICULTURE 



August 14, 1909 



Seed Trade 



Crop Failures Sometimes a Blessing. 



There is little to chronicle at this 

 time of year, for while crops are 

 steadily progressing towards maturity, 

 seedsmen as a rule are off on their 

 vacation, strengthening bo3y and 

 mind for the struggle of the next ten 

 or eleven months. Short crop years 

 are usually harbingers of the season 

 to iollow for most of the seedsmen, 

 and while they are a temporary disap- 

 pointment to the grower, they are best 

 for him in the long run. Of course 

 crop failures, or largely such, are not 

 considered in this connection, tor 

 when goods reach famine prices or 

 disappear fr m the market it is not 

 profitable icr eitlier grower' or dealer, 

 but a moderate shortage of staple 

 goods greatly ritrengthens prices, and 

 increases demand, with the result 

 that stocKf. E're well cleaned up at 

 the end of the season, and the grow- 

 ers' orders for the ensuing year are 

 much larger than v.'ben the dealer 

 carries over any considerable sur- 

 pluses. This generally insures fresh 

 stocl^s, which inures to the benefit of 

 the planter and seedsman. As a rule 

 when the grower delivers 100 per cent, 

 he has a surplus left, which he foolish- 

 ly peddles out at prices more or less 

 below hisi contracting figures, the re- 

 sult being that he has to accept lower 

 prices the coming year and gets small- 

 er orders. This feature of the seed 

 business has been commented on in 

 previous issues of HORTICULTURE, 

 for it is almost the keystone in the 

 arch of success, and will bear oft re- 

 peating. No one factor is more de- 

 moralizing than large surpluses in the 

 hands of either growers or dealers. 



Avoid Surpluses. 



The i)ractice of many growers, of plant- 

 ing for a surplus on speculation, hop- 

 ing to have something to sell in case 

 of a shorta.ge in the commodities they 

 produce, has generally proven an illu- 

 sion and has well-nigh wrecked more 

 than one. A surplus per se, may not 

 prove an evil if it is not thrown on 

 the market at reduced prices, but not 

 one grower in a hundred will so treat 

 it, and herein lies the source of trou- 

 ble. It is gratifying to note, barring 

 one or two notorious plungers, that 

 this evil is not nearly as prevalent as 

 tt was a few years ago, whatever the 

 causes may be, which will not be dis- 

 cussed at this time, and it is hoped 

 that the lessons which many growers 

 have had, will be lasting. Avoid sur- 

 pluses, and you generally escape stag- 

 nant or falling markets. It is realized, 

 of course, that an occasional surplus 

 is unavoidable, but unless deliberately 

 planned it is seldom formidable, and 

 usually absorbed the ensuing year. 



The Vegetable Crop. 

 Reports indicate a light potato crop, 

 and strong prices the coming winter 

 and spring. Apples will be a light crop 

 with resulting high prices. Tomatoes 

 •will not be a largei crop the country 

 over, and the last rain came just in 

 lime to save them, as the vines in many 

 sections were dying for lack of mois- 

 ture. Almost all vegetable crops are 

 tinsatlstactory, and unless consumption 

 fa greatly curtailed, prices should rule 



UNEEDMEV: BERMUDA ONION SEED 



:^E®T iiVj^i»ieo'VE:r> stock: 



SEND CONTRACT ORDERS AT ONCE FOR 1910— Don't Delay. -DO $T MOW, 



Read what my customers say about me: — " More than pleased." "Your shipment reached us 

 first." *' We have splendid reports Irom the results of your Seeds," " Will give you all of our future 

 business." " Germination is good." 



WHITE CRYSTAL WAX: EARLIEST OF ALL White Bermuda: White and Red. 



FEDERICO C. VARELA 



TENERIFFE (CANARY expert onion seed grower 



ISLANDS) AND exporter 



fairly high. One of the important 

 vegetable crops, cabbage, has suffered 

 greatly from drought, and as an indi- 

 cation of the trend of prices, it may 

 be stated that kraut manufacturers 

 have refused to book any more orders 

 for this year's crop, excepting at ad- 

 vances of -50 to 100 per cent over their 

 prices of last spring, and are not at 

 all eager at that. 



The pea pack is practically finished, 

 and the result is about as estimated in 

 recent issues of HORTICULTURE— 

 namely, 60 to 65 per cent on the acre- 

 age, which is slightly below that of 

 last year. While a few packers are 

 greatly disappointed, most of them ac- 

 cept the situation philosophically, 

 knowing that the short crop will prove 

 ihe salvation of the industry, and prob- 

 ably raise it out of its present depres- 

 sion. 



The Canners' Interests. 



While the next Canners' Convention 

 is yet many moons distant, it may be 

 interesting to repeat that it has been 

 officially decided to hold it at Atlantic 

 City, The Rudolph being again head- 

 quarters. Secy, Gonell of the National 

 Association has recently been there ar- 

 ran.ging about rates and such other 

 concessions as he can secure, and the 

 result will soon be made public. Let 

 it be remembered that unless the Ma- 

 chinery and Supplies Association com- 

 pletely reverses itself, there will be 

 no exhibits. Considerable pressure is 

 being placed on the officers in an effort 

 to bring about this result, but as the 

 "no exhibit" plan was adopted by an 

 overwhelming majority of the associa- 

 tion, the officers are not likely to neg- 

 ative this- decision unless requested to 

 do so by an equally large majority. 

 Most officers understand that they are 

 the seiTants of their associations and 

 not their rulers. A few prompted by 

 selfish and ambitious motives, endeav- 

 or to use their associations to promote 

 their personal interests, or a few, 

 forming a little oligarchy, seek the 

 control for their own ends. But dis- 

 ruption is the inevitable end of every 

 such organization, unless it frees it- 

 self and overthrows the little selfish 

 clique seeking to control it. This fate 

 has overtaken some canners' organiza- 

 tionp. 



Crop Conditions. 



Some recent advices indicate that the 

 sugar corn crop in the west is not 

 holding the promising condition it ex- 

 hibited in .Tune and early July, and 

 while there is probably no cause for 

 great anxiety, it is worth noting. No 

 material changes are reported in con- 

 dition of other seed crops. 



Harvesting of peas has commenced, 



Extra Earlies and Alaska being ready 

 for the reapers, and we should soon 

 get some information as to yield. Let 

 us hope for a dry harvest, as we can't 

 afford to lose any of an already short 

 crop. A fine rain now before pea har- 

 vesting becomes general would not 

 damage peas to any extent, and would 

 do beans immense good. 



Notes. 

 Randolph, Wis. — L. C. Jung has 



been admitted to partnership with his 

 brother and the firm name will be J. 

 W. Jung Seed Co. 



The T. Lee Adams Seed Co. of Kan- 

 sas City, Mo., v\'as incorporated with 

 capital stock of $15,000, and not 

 ?10,000 as stated by us last week. 



Routzahn Seed Co. of Arroyo Grande, 

 Cal., who have 350 acres devoted to 

 sweet peas and flower seeds, report 

 crop conditions as they enter into har- 

 vest as unusually good, particularly on 

 sweet peas. 



GIANT PANSY SEED 



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$1.00 $4.00 



Send for detail list of Eight Strains of the Giant 

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JOHN GERARD, Mew Britain. Conn. 



MY GIANT CYCLAMEN 



arc ahead in Growth and Flowers. Bloodred, 

 Carinlne. Daybreak. Lilac, Pink, Pure 

 White, White carmine eyed, each separate 

 Tr. Pkt. $1.00, I'-or Seeds $6.00. 



Above even mixed Tr. Pkt. 75c, toco Seeds $5.00, 

 For larger quantities, special quo:ation. 



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CAB RAGE. Succession, Flat Dutch and Savoy' 

 $i.co per 1000. $8.50 per to,ooo. 



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R. VINCENT, JR., & SONS CO. 



White Marsh, Md. 



Custom House Broker 



and Forwarder 



Special attention, prompt »nd careful 

 forwarding of plants, bulbs, etc. to 

 all parts of the country. 



Fred'kH. Griffin, ILfoTMf;.:-^ 



