410 



HORTICULTURE 



September 18, 1909 



Seed Trade 



The Attitude of the Department. 



Some writers would have us believe 

 that the Agricultural Department of- 

 ficials are kindly and friendly disposed 

 towards the seedsmen. This reminds 

 one of the story of the Boston police- 

 man who had escaped from the Em- 

 erald Isle only a few months before, 

 and who began beating a man whom 

 he had arrested. When the unfortunate 

 protested this was the answer: "Sure 

 Oim your frind, and Oim not bating 

 yez because Oi hate yez, but because Oi 

 "have autority." To the writer it 

 looks as if the Department has mani- 

 fested the same sort of friendship for 

 the seedsmen. 



If there is a single instance where 

 the Department through any of its of- 

 ficials has publicly championed the 

 cause of the seedsmen, the writer has 

 not heard of it. On the contrary there 

 are many instances of quite opposite 

 sentiments, and a decided under-cur- 

 rent of hostility due, it would seem, 

 to the efforts of the seedsmen to se- 

 cure the abolition of the free seed 

 distribution. In all their efforts in 

 this direction they have not received 

 at an> time either the active or passive 

 aid of the Department. On the con- 

 trary most of the officials have ap- 

 peared to resent these efforts as 

 though it were a personal matter be- 

 tween them and the seedsmen. Many 

 instances could be given to show the 

 "friendliness" of the present regime, 

 but its attitude is so well known to 

 the trade at large that such proof is 

 quite unnecessary. 



Notes. 

 Cincinnati, O. — Walter Gray, Jr., 

 has opened a seed and flower store 

 at 151 N. 3rd St. 



Howard M. Earl, ot Burpee's, left 

 for California on the 13th inst. on a 

 seed crop inspection tour. 



European advices indicate another 

 short year in fancy gi-asses. Veiy 

 few items will show lower prices, and 

 moat of them will be as high, if not 

 higher, than the stiff figures of the 

 past two seasons. 



We have direct information from an 

 absolutely reliable source that the 

 shipments of French hyacinths and 

 narcissi have been considerably in ex- 

 cess of what they were last year at 

 this lime. 



A seed trade correspondent writes 

 as follows: "The report in last week's 

 HORTICULTURE of the seed pea 

 crop has struck terror to the hearts 

 of the seed trade. HORTICULTURE'S 

 record for fairness and accuracy in its 

 seed trade notes has never been ques- 

 tioned, hence the stampede — although 

 many of the big houses were slowly 

 coming to the same conclusion. But 

 all are now convinced that the situa- 

 tion is really serious and every one 

 who is wide awake is taking prompt 

 action to have at least some stock of 

 the leading A'arieties for their regular 

 customers." 



Rochester, N. Y., and reports an un- 

 precedented shortage on account of 

 the dry summer. The aster seed crop 

 from this locality will be very short 

 indeed. As everybody knows, Roches- 

 ter has become quite a factor in this 

 line of recent years. No doubt we 

 will hear from Mr. Vick on the sub- 

 ject soon. He is recognized as one of 

 the big factors in the situation, and 

 his offers will be eagerly looked for. 

 There will be a scramble for aster 

 seed all along the line, as the foreign 

 crops are reported to be none too good. 

 The haggler and the outsider will have 

 very little show under present condi- 

 tions. 



An Enterprising Seed House. 



The Holmes Seed Co., although 

 located in Harrisburg, is practically a 

 Philadelphia concern; the founder 

 Harry L. Holmes having graduated 

 from Burpee's. Charles H. McKubbin, 

 now with Dreer, was originally a mem- 

 ber of the firm. The Holmes Seed Co. 

 was incorporated in 1902. 



Henrv L.. Holmes 



The seed business is very complex, 

 difficult and far reaching. Very few 

 have such a good grip on it as Henry 

 L. Holmes. He has introduced some 

 genuine novelties — universally recog- 

 nized as great improvements today, 

 of which we need only mention such 

 sterling acquisitions as the Houser 

 Cabbage and the Premo Corn. Their 

 present debutantes are Holmes' Pro- 

 lific Green Pole Lima and Holmes' 

 Delicious Sweet Corn. We have had 

 the privilege of examining the former 

 recently, and as far as we can judge 

 it fully bears out every claim made for 

 it — a first class pole lima in every 

 lespect — and in addition — it dries 

 green and cooks green. We con- 

 gratulate Messrs. Holmes on the poses- 

 sion of these sterling novelties, and 

 have no doubt they will be widely 

 offered by the general seed trade in 

 1910 — as we understand there is 

 enough to offer at wholesale this fall 

 to warrant cataloguing. 



Mr. Kerr, of Burpee's, has just re- 

 turned to Philadelphia from an in- 

 spection of the aster crops around 



A good situation in a wholesale and 

 retail seed bouse is offered in our 

 "Help Wanted" Column, page 423. 



CYCLAMEN SEED 



NEW CROP 



If you want thrifty plants that will bloom freely 

 and produce gigantic bloom, then our Fancy Giant 

 Cyclamen is the Strain to grow. Our seed is grown 

 for us in England by a leading specialist. 



lOK Seeds liHHi Seeds 



Duke of Connaught. Crimson $1.25 $10.00 



Excelsior. White with red eye 1.2S 10.00 



Grandlflora Alba. Pure white 1.2S 10.00 



Princess of Wales. Deep pink 1.2S 10.00 



Salmon Queen. Salmon rose 1.25 10.00 



Mixed. All colors. 1.60 9.00 



H. F. MICHELL CO. 



1018 Market Street, 

 PHILADELPHIA, PA. 



NOTICE 



I have purchased all the assets of the 

 A. J. Pieters Seed Company and will fill 

 all contracts for 1909 crop. Deliveries 

 are now being made and I shall have a 

 surplus list ready in October. Please 

 write n e about what you want and let me 

 quote you on 1910 crop. 



Address all correspondence to 



A. J. PIETERS 



Seed Grower 

 HOLLISTER, ■ - CAL. 



O I« 13 15 i« isroA^v 

 French and Dutch Bulbs 



FOR FALL SHIPMENT 



Wholesale Price List mailed to Florists on 

 application, 



Joseph Breck &. Sons Corp. 



4r-S4 HO. MARKET ST., BOS TOW, MASS. 



CYCLAMEN SEED 



Especially grown for us In England. 

 A superb, large flowering strain in 

 10 separate colors. 

 100 seeds, »1.00; lOOO seeds, 88.00 



H. E. FISKE SEED CO. 



Faneull Hall Square 



BOSTON, - - MASS. 



ROBERT J. DYSART 



Public Accountant and Auditor 



simple metho<la of correct kccooatlog 

 esp(clall7 adapted for floriata' ua*. 



Books Balanced and Adjusted 



Marchanta Bank BaUdJoc 

 28 STATE STREET, - BOSTON 



Talepbona, Main li». 



CABBAGB. Succession, Flat Dutch and Savoy, 

 $i.co per 1000. $8.50 per lo.ooo. 



CElEKy, White Plume and Golden Self Blancbinc. 

 $1.00 per 1000. $8.50 per $10,000. 



PAKSI.ET. as cts. per 100. $1.25 per looo. 

 Cash with Order 



R. VINCENT, JR., & SONS CO. 



White Marsh, Md. 



Ward's Lily Bulbs 



Not how cheap, but how good. 



Ralph M. Ward & Co. 



12 W.Broadway, New York 



