450 



HORTICULTURE, 



March 19, 1910 



Seed Trade 



Trade Conditions. 



Trade is not quite satisfactory to 

 the seedsmen of the country, as a 

 whole, and just what is the cause is 

 interesting the most of the larger deal- 

 ers at the present time. In some quar- 

 ters it is charged to the weather — in 

 others to local condition, but so far 

 as can he ascertained, these local con- 

 ditions appear to be country-wide. No 

 doubt the weather has cut some figure, 

 but it is quite possible that the real 

 reason may be as stated by a promi- 

 nent Philadelphia seedsman recently, 

 when he said that "the average prices 

 were too high." 



There is little doubt that prices are 

 higher than for many years, and in all 

 probability they do control the demand 

 to a considerable extent. It is the 

 opinion of the writer that the rather 

 unsatisfactory trade is due to a combi- 

 nation of causes, and cannot be 

 charged to anyone, although the high 

 price theory is probably more potent 

 a factor than any other single one. 



With the situation in Europe affect- 

 ing next season's root crop, and with 

 the prospect that the price on this line 

 of seeds will be even higher than the 

 present season, there seems little pros- 

 pect of a material reduction in this 

 season's figures, except possibly on 

 peas, beans, and other annuals which 

 are this year exceptionally high. Ex- 

 tremely high prices, as a rule, stimu- 

 late the home-growing of many seeds, 

 and at the present time a notable case 

 in point is onion seed. We believe the 

 trade are practically unanimous in stat- 

 ing that onion seed is moving very 

 slowly, and this is very largely due 

 to the large quantities of seed grown 

 in the onion-producing sections. Tbere 

 are thousands of pounds for sale in 

 Ohio at the present time, and in the 

 State of New York, in the onion-grow- 

 ing sections, large quantities of seed 

 have been grown, and no doubt the 

 same facts would be discovered in 

 other states if the matter were investi- 

 gated. It cannot be said that onion 

 seed is high in price — as a matter of 

 fact, it is one of (he staples that is 

 comparatively low, yet the demand is 

 sluggish and very unsatisfactory. 

 What can be done about it? 



This matter of high prices should 

 be studied by both the wholesaler and 

 the retailer, as there is danger of 

 killing the goose that lays the golden 

 egg. Some growers of staple varieties 

 of seed have missed many thousands 

 of dollars' woith of business because 

 of being a little too greedy to get the 

 last farthing possible. Others, more 

 recently, have secured this business, 

 and the producer should bear in mind 

 one fact, that when he loses an old 

 customer to someone else, if the 

 change proves satisfactory to the cus- 

 tomer in the matter of quality of 

 goods received, it is not always an 



easy task to win the customer back. 

 In fact it is often easier to get a new 

 customer. 



Potatoes seem to be on the down- 

 ward toboggan, and where they will 

 finally rest, is problematical. Early 

 in the season it looked as if seed po- 

 tatoes would be good property, and 

 that the price, as spring neared, would 

 advance. This was charged largely to 

 the Maine crop last fall, which showed 

 strong symptoms of rot, and it was 

 feared that this would extend and be- 

 come a very serious matter. What- 

 ever the cause, however, potatoes are 

 undeniably cheaper in price than three 

 or four months ago, and as stated, the 

 tendency is still downward. 



The Government seed contract has 

 been awarded, and a number have re- 

 ceived plums of more or less size and 

 value. No one concern has been given 

 the entire contract, and it was gen- 

 erally believed that it would be settled 

 in this way. 



Notes. 

 New York, N. Y. — A new seed store 

 has been opened by Chas. McTaggart 

 at 123 Warren street. Mr. McTaggart 

 was formerly with J. M. Thorburn 

 & Co. 



The following resolution was passed 

 at the Detroit Convention of the Amer- 

 ican Seed Trade Association and or- 

 dered printed separately: 



Resolved: That tliis Assooiatioii dis- 

 countenances ail indcfiniteuess in tlie use 

 of a disclaimer, and urges all lo.val mem- 

 bers to stand by tbe official disclaimer 

 adopted by the Association, and b.v so 

 doing strengthen the po.sition of each and 

 strengthen all: and that we urge the use of 

 this disclaimer on all letter-heads, bill- 

 heads, contracts, catalogues, seed bags, 

 order sheets, labels, tags and other printed 

 matter, as well as framed store cards. 



>^houId some members desire further con- 

 ditions to those stated on this disclaimer, 

 we nevertheless ur^e that for the first sec- 

 tion of their printed disclaimer the.v use 

 the official wording, viz.: 



"We give no warranty, express or im- 

 plied, as to description, quality, productive- 

 ness, or any other matter of an.v seeds, 

 bulbs, or plants we send out. and we w-ill 

 not be in any way responsible for the crop. 

 If the purchaser does not accept the goods 

 on these terms, the.v are at once to be 

 returned." 



A NEW POTATO DISEASE. 



The wart disease is a new enemy of 

 the potato crop which is attracting 

 great attention in Europe, and which 

 is liable to be introduced into the 

 United States at any time. It affects 

 the tubers, forming large rough un- 

 sightly warts, and, in severe attacks, 

 completely destroys the crop. Once 

 the fungus gets into the soil, it is im- 

 possible to grow a crop of potatoes on 

 the land for several years. 



The fungus which causes this dis- 

 ease was discovered in ISflfi in potatoes 

 grown in Hungary. It is now preva- 

 lent in many places in England and 

 there is .great danger that it may 

 spread to Ireland. It is also found in 

 Germany and some other European 

 countries. It has been carried to New- 

 foundland, but has not yet appeared 

 in the United States. 



It is spread by using affected pota- 

 toes for seed, and, as this country im- 

 ports considerable quantities of pota- 

 toes every year, there is danger that 

 it may be introduced. 



The V. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture has recently issued a circular (for 

 free distribution) givin.g a brief ac- 

 count of this disease. 



Every Florist 

 Who Grows Asters 



Should send for our Aster 

 book immediately. Get your 

 name on our files for our 

 regular Florists' Wholesale 

 Catalogue. These books are 

 free. 



James Vick's Sons 



ROCHESTER, - N. Y. 



Mention this paper 



CLAY'S 



For Fertilizing tlie Soil 



56 lb. $3.25 



WM. ELLIOTT & SONS, 



42 Vesey St., New York. 



ONION SETS — POTATOES 



Early Ohio Potatoes. $i.io bu.; Early Irish Cob- 

 blers, $i.io bu.; Genuine Danish Ball-head Cab- 

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

 Radish seed (French Stock) $.40 per lb. Northern 

 grown Yellow or White Onion Sets, $a.ooperbu. 

 All F O. B. Syracuse. Remittance with order. 

 Reference any bank in Syracuse. 



F. H. EBELING, Seedsman 



Established 1868 Syracuse, N.Y. 



OARQAPP Wakefield and Succession. 

 UADDHUI- $1.50 per 1000. $8.50 per lo^ooo, 



PARSLEY r,."3pr/.-r 



I CTTIIPC ^'K Boston, Boston Market and 

 LCI lUuC Grand Kapids. $i.os per looo. 



BEET PLANTS $i.js per 1000. 



Cash with Ordkrs 



R. VINCENT, JR., & SONS CO. 



White Marah, Md. 



Landscape Gardening 



A course for Home-makers and 

 Gardeners taught by Prof. Craig 

 and Prof Batchelor, of Cornell 

 University. 



Gardeners who understand up- 

 to-date methods and practice are 

 in demand for the best positions. 



A knowledge of Landscape Gar- 

 dening is indispensable to those 

 who would have the pleasantcs! 

 homes. 



250 page catalogue free Write to-day. 



The Home Correspondence School 



Dept. H, Springfield, Mass, 



Prof. Craig 



In ordering goods please add **/ saw 

 it in HORTICULTURE." 



