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HORTICULTURE 



December 18, 1909 



Seed Trade 



Opposition to Pea and Bean Contract 

 Prices. 



As was expected, the advance in con- 

 tracting prices of peas and beans over 

 last year's figures has met with con- 

 siderable opposition from both seeds- 

 men and cauners, but in both instances 

 It is largely due to the buyer not 

 fully understanding conditions. It was 

 pointed out in these columns a few 

 weeks ago that such an advance was 

 Inevitable, because the growers were 

 compelled to pay to the farmers an 

 advance over last year, and as all were 

 operating on as close a margin as was 

 possible and leave them even a meagre 

 profit, there was no alternative but to 

 charge the advance to the consumer. 



It would be of course uutoitunate 

 for the growers to take advantage of 

 the situation to increase prices to an 

 unjustifiable degree, but they should 

 make due note of the congested condi- 

 tion of the canned goods market, and 

 especially affecting canned peas. Many 

 years ago when testifying before a 

 committee inquiring into operating ex- 

 penses of railroads, William H. Van- 

 derbilt was asked on what the rail- 

 roads based their charges. His reply 

 was, "All that the traffic will bear." 

 This should not be the attitude of the 

 seed-growers at this time, nor in fact 

 at any time, and generally speaking 

 it can be said with confidence that it 

 is not. and the advances asked on 

 future pea seed are, as a rule, amply 

 justified. It is earnestly hoped that 

 ijOth canners and seedsmen will duly 

 appreciate this fact, and accept the 

 situation, even though it apparently 

 involves some hardship to them. 



More will be said along this and kin- 

 dred lines in future issues of HORTI- 

 CX;i,TURE. 



Postage on Sealed Seed Packets. 



We have been informed that the 

 Postmaster General of the United 

 States has had presented to him for 

 approval a ruling made by the post- 

 master in a western city to the effect 

 that a packet of seeds sealed is not 

 mailable at their office as third-class 

 postage, unless the packet is made of 

 transparent paper. 



From the beginning of the seed busi- 

 ness in this country, packets of this 

 character have been accepted for mail- 

 ing as third-class matter, notwith- 

 standing that they were sealed and 

 any change in this matter would work 

 serious hardships on the very large 

 business interests concerned. It Is 

 necessary to seal the packets in order 

 to preserve the germinating quality of 

 the seeds and to avoid mixture between 

 the different kinds of seeds in the va- 

 rious packets which are ordered at one 

 time by a customer. 



In its final analysis, of course, the 

 matter would resolve itself Into one of 

 hardship to the customer as the In- 

 creased postage required would neces- 

 sarily have to be added wholly or in 

 part to the price of the seed. Inas- 

 much as the seed packets must be made 

 up several months before they are sold, 

 however, the first and immediate in- 

 jury would be done to the seedsmen 

 who already have prepared their stock 

 of seeds and opaque packets for the 

 following spring's business. 



A. T. Boddlngton and others write 



SUTTON'S SEEDS 



Of the most beautiful Flowers and the finest Vegetables 



SUTTON'S AMATEUR'S GUIDE IN HORTICULTURE 



Flower Seeds of $2.44 

 value and upwards for- 

 warded post free. 



The finest Seed Catalogue ever published; illus- 

 trated with nearly 260 photographic reproductions. 



Post Free for 25 cents on application to 



Sutton &, Sons, Reading, England. 



that they are bringing the matter to 

 the attention of their congressman in 

 the hope that they will enter a protest 

 against any change in the classi- 

 fication for mailing purposes of seed 

 packets. 



Short Deliveries on Garden Beet 

 Seeds. 



In the edition of HORTICULTURE 

 of date the 11th of December, appeared 

 an article on crop estimates which in 

 some respects may lead to a miscon- 

 ception as to supplies in sight. 



The article referred to stated that 

 seed of Garden Beets with the three 

 exceptions of Crosby's Egyptian, De- 

 troit, and Edmunds will be delivered 

 nearly or quite in full, but on the three 

 exceptions there may be only a delivery 

 of forty to sixty per cent. We sin- 

 cerely wish this were correct, for as 

 In the case of many contracts made 

 between us and European contractors 

 we cannot point to any such experi- 

 ence as reported In the article referred 

 to. 



The general average of deliveries ex- 

 pected by us from Europe are instead 

 of forty to sixty per cent of Crosby's 

 Egyptian, and Edmunds, only twenty- 

 five per cent, while of no other sort 

 will the expected delivery reach over 

 sixty per cent instead of one hundred 

 per cent as reported, and in many 

 cases the deliveries will be from 

 twenty, or thirty to forty per cent. 

 One London house on a contract of 

 6000 pounds Detroit has sent 448 

 pounds or eight per cent and write 

 that will be the entire quantity they 

 will send us on the contract. 



D. LANDRETH SEED CO. 



Bristol, Pa. 



Notes. 



The executive committee of the 

 American Seed Trade Association will 

 hold a session in Boston on December 

 27. 



J. B. Gibson, representing Rout- 

 zahn Seed Co., Arroya Grande. Cal., 

 was a visitor in New York last week. 



The crop of best quality lily of the 

 valley pips has run short of the de- 

 mand and the stock is very scarce here 

 and In Europe. 



The delivery of Manettl rose stocks 

 from Europe has also been cut short, 

 no more being available. This will be 

 a great disappointment to many peo- 

 ple who will have to accept a partial 

 supply. The heavy stock such as is 

 used by nurserymen is particularly 

 scarce. 



Morganhill, Cal. — The Leonard 

 Coates Nursery Co., formerly of San 

 Francisco, has removed to this place. 



POTASH FOR SALE TO ALL. 



Farmers who farm on business prin- 

 ciples and fertilize their soils as a 

 manufacturer puts money into a plant 

 — for investment — have never needed 

 much argument to be convinced that 

 "Potash Pays." The trouble for the 

 farmer has been not only the price, 

 l)ut the difficulty of getting Potash at 

 any price. The manufacturers have 

 hiretofore absorbed it all. 



All this has been changed, and 

 growers will now be able to buy all 

 the Potash Salts they need, in any 

 quantity they want it, of local dealers 

 everywhere. 



The great German potash mines are 

 now producing enough potash to en- 

 able the American selling agency to 

 guarantee delivery of all that is re- 

 quired both by fertilizer manufactur- 

 ers and by local dealers and farmers. 

 Ask your dealer to carry these inval- 

 uable salts in stock. Write to the Ger- 

 man Kali Works, Continental Build- 

 ing. Baltimore, Md., for their "Farm- 

 ers' Note Book" and their valuable 

 literature on fertilizing and cultiva- 

 tion. Mention what crops you are 

 most interested in. It will pav vou to 

 do it. 



As is generally known, Robert 

 Craig's keen judgment and foresight 

 in the case of Ficus pandurata made 

 a lot of money for that gentleman, be- 

 sides giving the florist trade at large 

 a plant of unexcelled qualities for dec- 

 orative work. Mr. Craig, we under- 

 stand, has another new "rubber" In 

 store which, it is believed, will also 

 prove an equally great winner. Per- 

 haps the trade wilt do well to remem- 

 ber this even if "altissimus" has to 

 take a back seat in the meantime. 



Burpee's Seeds 



PHILADELPHIA 



Blue List of Wholesale Prices mailed 

 only to those who plant for profit. 



P A R D A G P Wakefield and Succession. 

 UHDDMuC $i,cx} per 1000. $8.50 per 10,0:0. 



PARSLEY l\ 



cts. per 100. 

 .25 per 1000, 



I CTTIIpP Big Boston, Boston Market and 

 LC I I UUQ Grand Kapids. $[.oo per looo. 

 Cash with Ordbrs 



R. VINCENT, JR., & SONS CO. 



White Marsh. Md. 



RHUBARB SEED FOR SALE 



Fine crop of looo. Clean seed of fine Rhubarb Pric 

 all right. Order now. 



Warren Shinn, Nurseryman, Woodstown N 



