270 



HORTICULTURE- 



February 19, 1910 



Seed Trade 



An Interesting Test. 



An interesting bulletin on tests for 

 purity of type of Jersey Wakefield Cab- 

 bage has been issued by the Pennsyl- 

 vania State College, Center County, 

 Pa. Strains from twenty-five seedsmen 

 are represented in the test. The re- 

 sults noted are quite creditable to the 

 houses mentioned except in four or 

 five instances, the leading houses being 

 notably on top as to purity of type, 

 earliness, and yield. This bulletin is 

 well worthy of perusal by all in the 

 seed trade. C. E. Myers, Horticulturist 

 of the Experiment Station, is the au- 

 thor. 



We quote a sentence as showing the 

 fairness and common sense of the ex- 

 perimenter: 



"In order to make uniform sowing 

 possible, the seed should be reasonably 

 tree from foreign matter, although in 

 most instances impurities cause no 

 serious trouble." Compare this with 

 the Washington offlclal attitude: 

 "When inferior seed is present in con- 

 siderable quantity it is naturally pre- 

 sumable that adulteration has been 

 practiced." Every seedsman is famil- 

 iar with the fact that some of the 

 finest strains produce a very inferior 

 looking sample of seed. It is gratify- 

 ing to note that the Pennsylvania State 

 College has too much sense to shout 

 "adulteration" in cases of this kind. 



Advancing In the Wrong Direction. 

 Furthermore, we are all the time in- 

 sisting on heavier and heavier and 

 more highly machined seed which may 

 be a good thing in some ways, but It 

 is open to question whether it is al- 

 ways desirable. Take Agrostis vul- 

 garis, for instance. We have run this 

 up from' 15 to 30 pounds, but have we 

 improved the strain by the process? 

 Is not this grass now approaching in 

 character a cereal instead of a grass? 

 Ask anyone who has had experience 

 with the chaffy 15-pound European 

 Agrostis. More grass, less stalk, more 

 permanent. The same thing happened 

 thirty years ago with Ryegrass in Eu- 

 rope, when they ran it up from 18 to 

 28 and lost some of its best features 

 by so doing. 



The Best Criterion. 

 The State College people have the 

 right idea. The strain is the impor- 

 tant thing and the chaff or other for- 

 eign matter that may be in a sample 

 is of very minor importance. Even 

 germination sinks into insignificance 

 beside the important consideration of 

 strain — purity of type and all the good 

 qualities that the word covers. Of 

 course, every good seedsman is well 

 aware of this, but one would think 

 that the world of officialdom had not 

 an inkling of it from the hue and cry 

 they make about chaff and impurities 

 and adulteration. 



capitalized at $25,000. C. E. Dreutzer 

 is president, R. W. Craig secretary. 

 They will cultivate about 1,200 acres 

 this year. 



Notes. 



Mr. McTaggart. long familiar to the 

 trade as a salesman in Thorburn's 

 seed store, New York, has resigned 

 his position to go into other business. 

 Sturgeon Bay, Wis. — It was report- 

 ed in our last issue that the North- 

 western Seed Co. had been incorporated 

 here. This should have read. Northern 

 Wisconsin Seed Co. This concern is 



GARDENERS' AND FLORISTS' 

 CLUB OF BALTIMORE. 



Monday, Feb. 14, was "Carnation 

 Night," at Florists' Exchange Hall. It 

 was the largest attendance held for 

 some time, and the flower attraction 

 was worth the visit. Before the meet- 

 ing many ladies were among the 

 throng admiring the splendid speci- 

 mens of carnations, etc. Among the 

 exhibits were several fine lots from 

 outside the state. Henry Eichholz 

 showed fine bunches of Princess 

 Charming, a delicate Daybreak pink, 

 and Washington, a rich cerise, the 

 latter a sport from Enchantress. 

 .Judges award'-d a certificate of merit 

 on both of above named carnations. 

 The Chicago Carnation Co. sent some 

 specimens of a new carnation, but they 

 arrived in such a condition that it 

 was quite imiiossible to pass on merit. 

 The flower was Conquest, variegated 

 in color good stems, and apparently 

 a "good" flower in size. Another 

 variety was Mary Tolman, Daybreak 

 pink, and siiecimens also of Sangamo, 

 a dark pink. The general exhibit was 

 made by local florists among whom 

 were Isaac H. Moss, F. Bauer, James 

 Hamilton, who also had a magnificent 

 lot of Ivory. Bridesmaid and Golden 

 Gate roses; Lehr Bros., John Nuth, 

 Henry Fischer, J. Rider, Ruxton 

 Floral Nursery Co., Jno. F. King, M. 

 Thau Sr Co. (crimson seedling), Geo. 

 Morrison, F. D. Kline, Philip B. Welsh 

 (new "Albina"), Henry Cairns, W. C. 

 Erdman and Richard Vincent, Jr., & 

 Sons Co. (also dahlias). 



In answer to question "What makes 

 stems of carnations v/eak and the buds 

 to split?" Mr. Eichholtz said his ex- 

 perience was that having the temper- 

 ature of the houses too warm at night 

 was one of the causes, and overfeed- 

 ing another. Said he aimed to have 

 tlie temperature in his liouses between 

 42 and 45 degrees at night. He re- 

 marl;ed by his method he might not 

 have as fiee bloomers, but knew he 

 secured more perfect blooms. 



The next meeting of the club will be 

 the annual election which will be fol- 

 lowed by a banquet. The past year 

 shovs a most gratifying increase in 

 the attendance and interest at the 

 meetings. Robt. L. Graham gave a 

 very interesting talk of a recent visit 

 to California, and James Hamilton al- 

 so entertained the club with his ex- 

 periences in early days in the extreme 

 northwest. Other experiences of a 

 like nature will follow. Many florists 

 have joined the club the past year. 



G O. B. 



HORTICULTURAL INSPECTION 

 BILL WITHDRAWN. 



We have just received a telegram 

 announcing that Bill No. 15,656 intro- 

 duced by Congressman Simmons and 

 referred to the Committee on Agricul- 

 ture, has been withdrawn. It was a 

 very objectionable bill in some of its 

 provisions, enforcing dock inspection 

 of iilants, etc., and the opposition 

 among the horticultural importers and 

 others was very strong. We congrat- 

 ulate them on this very pleasant news. 



GREEN 



Cane Stakes 



For Your Lilies 



6 to 8 ft., $7.00 per 1000 



WM. ELLIOTT & SONS, 



42 Vesey St., New York. 



I OFFER GHOiCE QUALITY 



Early Ohio Potatoes, $i oo bu. ; Early Irish Cob- 

 blers, $t.oo bu. ; Genuine Danish Ball-head Cab- 

 bage Seed (imported stock) $4.00 lb. All Early 

 Radish seed (French Stokc) $.40 per lb. M rthern 

 grown Kellow or White Onion Sets. $2 35 per bu. 

 All V O. B Syracuse. Remittance with ordei. 

 Reference any bank in Syracuse. 



F. H. EBELING, Seedsman 



Established 1868 Syracuse, N.Y. 



IN COiNCRETE PLANT PROTECTORS 



A tried and proven success. Keep out frost and draw 

 heat. Equal tor forcing to the famous bell j^rs used in 

 France. Field trials show four times the yield, ripen- 

 ing a month ahead of season, and valu increased 100 

 times. No blight or insects. Useful for Ictture, rhu- 

 barb, melons, etc Hold water for irrigatio:^. Patent 

 just issued on protectors, and Ime wire opens or closes 

 100 instantly. Illustrated treatise tells how to make 

 them quickly at 2c each, how to make molds at 25c. 

 Also, full information about this method. Each pur- 

 chaser of book has privilege to make mold and protec- 

 tors. Mention this paper and send $1 00 for book. 

 Money back if not satisfied. 

 J. H. HALEY, Seed Grower. Mimith, Mlcli. 



NEW CROP FLOWER AND VEGETABLE SEEDS 



FOR KiiRlING 

 Asters, Salvias, Vincas. Verbenas, 

 Stocks and Petunias, Tomato "The 

 Don," Onion "Ailsa Craig " Mush* 

 room Spawn— English and Pure Cul- 

 ture' .^pti ial pri. fs and catalogne on 

 application. 

 IUA«kA.> Dan ^^'^'^ Merchants & Growers 



weeper & UOn, n4 chambers street, NEW YORK 



Peas and Beans 



If you want our growing prices lot 

 Crop 1910 please let us know. 



Alfred J. Brown Seed Co. 



Grand Rapids, Mich. 



ST. LOUIS FLORIST CLUB. 



The monthly meeting, Feb. 10, was 

 fairly well attended. J. A. Peterson of 

 Cineinnati, staged a plant of Begonia 

 Glory of Cineinnati. which attracted a 

 great deal of attention and was award- 

 ed a certiilcate of merit. The com- 

 mittee on advertising reported through 

 C. Deloever and a big discussion fol- 

 lowed. Three new members were add- 

 ed to the committee, viz., W. C. Young, 

 E. W. Guy and W. C. Smith. 



J. F. Ammann and E. W. Guy of the 

 Illinois State Florists' Association, in- 

 vited the members to attend the con- 

 vention of their society at Champaign. 

 Feb. ir. and 16, and the invitation was 

 acceiited with thanks, W. C. Smith 

 then gave a talk on "The Troubles of 

 a 'Wholesaler." Considerable time was 

 taken up in discussions from the ques- 

 tion box, some of them very interest- 

 ing to the growers present. The sec- 

 retary announced that the next meet- 

 ing would take place Thurs.. March 10. 



