444 



HORTICULTURE 



September 24, 1910 



Seed Trade 



The Pea Crop. 



Since our last crop news was pub- 

 iished. there have been no radical de- 

 velopments, although we are nearer 

 definite information of what the va- 

 rious crops are going to turn out this 

 year. Some trade papers have stated 

 that it is still hoped that the pea crop 

 may improve and turn out belter than 

 indicated some weeks ago. This is 

 rather misleading, for as a matter of 

 fact the pea crop is made and has been 

 for some weeks and there is absolutely 

 no chance for improvement, although, 

 as has been pointed out, there is op- 

 portunity tor much damage by rain. 



According to information we have, 

 some damage has resulted from inop- 

 portune rains but it is hoped that it 

 has been slight. One of the conditions 

 most dreaded by growers of peas and 

 beans is a wet period immediately suc- 

 ceeding harvest and before the peas 

 can be threshed and housed. So far 

 as we can ascertain, damage from this 

 cause is not likely to be very heavy. 

 Still, in view of a very light crop, we 

 cannot afford to lose any through un- 

 favorable weather or any other cause. 



Threshing results have in the main 

 confirmed the worst fears of the grow- 

 ers and of their field estimates, which 

 some times are quite misleading, as 

 the crop often falls below the esti- 

 mates. 



Corn and Beans. 



Beans will undoubtedly be short as 

 they have suffered more or less from 

 recent frosts, while they do not ripen 

 as it was hoped they would, even with 

 the bright warm sunny days we have 

 been getting for the past few weeks. 

 It has been a common saying among 

 old bean growers that beans would 

 not ripen after the 15th of September, 

 and last year it seemed to confirm this 

 saying. The pods remained in an un- 

 ripe soft condition for several weeks, 

 and it was said that the result was 

 much as if they had been in cold stor- 

 age. Whether the same conditions will 

 prevail again this year is of course un- 

 certain, but at this time it looks very 

 much that way. 



Corn and beans seem to be coming 

 along very much together and, like the 

 latter, corn has suffered very slightly 

 from early frosts which fortunately 

 have been very light up to this time, 

 (f there are no killing frosts until after 

 the first of October, there should be a 

 very fair ciop of late corn, and at this 

 time conditions certainly look favor- 

 able. As to the early varieties, it was 

 stated in these columns some weeks 

 ago that they would probably be rather 

 scarce no matter which way the later 

 varieties might turn, and no news has 

 been received to change that view of 

 the matter. 



Vine Seeds. 



As a general proposition it may be 

 stated that nearly all vine seeds will 

 be short, though nothing like exact In- 

 formation is obtainable at this time. 

 Frosts in Nebraska and other parts of 

 the West have cut down muskmelons 

 and cucumbers and in fact squashes 

 and pumpkins. However, the informa- 

 tion we have of the latter is very 

 meagre, but we hope to be able to 

 furnish something of a more reliable 

 character in our next issue. 



Most of the watermelon seed used 



by the trade is now grown in th<' 

 South, very little coming from Nebras- 

 ka as formerly, and such information 

 as we get, is to the effect that there 

 will be plenty of watermelon setd ex- 

 cepting a few varieties which are not 

 largely used. 



Encouraging Foreign Reports. 



The most recent information from 

 Europe is much more encouraging re- 

 garding cabbage, Swedes, mangels and 

 a geneial line of turnips, showing that 

 these crops will turn out better than 

 was feared earlier in the season. A 

 number of houses in the trade were in 

 quite a panic over these very items a 

 short time ago, and some wholesalers 

 would not accept orders for these va- 

 rieties. While the actual goods have 

 not been delivered, the reports from 

 most of the leading European growers 

 justify the hope that deliveries will be 

 fairly good and that there will be no 

 famine in these gools. Caution and 

 prudence are very creditable; fright 

 and panic every time there is a report 

 of a shortage in anything, are not. 



MMAMMWtAAAMWWWMWMWMnAIV 



Potatoes Short. 



The situation affecting potatoes indi- 

 cates that they are going to be sHort 

 in supply and somewhat higher than 

 opening prices of a year kgo. Whether 

 these prices will be maintained 

 throughout the season is a problem 

 which the future alone can answer. 

 Every one will remember the bad 

 slump in prices last spring, but it 

 really looks as if there was more justi- 

 fication for the claim of short crop this 

 year than last. In fact, what gave the 

 market its strength was the fear that a 

 serious condition of rot had struck the 

 Maine crop. Taking the country as a 

 whole, the potato crop is undoubtedly 

 shorter than last year. . 



Sweet Peas. 



It is anticipated that there will be 

 some shoitage in the California sweet 

 ,pea crop and that some of the new 

 fancy varieties are likely to be very 

 scarce and prices will rule high. We 

 liave not learned of any other item in 

 the California seed crop that is likely 

 to be materially short while there will 

 be something of a surplus in certain 

 lines. 



Notes. 



Dallas, Tex. — The David Seed Co. 

 write us that the report that they are 

 contemplating opening a branch store 

 in El Paso, Tex., is not correct. 



Yankton, S. D.— The nursery busi- 

 ness of the Sioux City Seed and Nur- 

 sery Co. has been purchased by the 

 Whiting Nursery Co., and its own seed 

 business transferred to the Sioux City 

 Co. 



We are informed that Mr. Jerome B. 

 Rice was in attendance at the recent 

 G. A. R. Encampment at Atlantic City, 

 having gone for a little vacation and 

 with the idea of renewing old acquaint- 

 ances. The G. A. R. have had fine 

 weather and all reports indicates a 

 very successful Encampment. 



We understand that Mr. Alex Math- 

 ers is to accept a position with J. M. 

 Thorburn & Co., of New York. Mr. 

 Mathers has recently held a position 

 with the McMoran-Gray Co., of Port 

 Huron, Mich. He is regarded as a 

 high class man and doubtless his abili- 

 ties will be appreciated by his new 

 employers. 



MIGNONETTE 



HOEHL'S GIANT 



(OriKinator'i Seed) 



Mr. Hoehl, who specializes on this 

 strain enjoys the reputation of bring- 

 ing the best Mignonette to the Phila- 

 delphia Market. 



We offer the originator's s?ed saved 

 from exhibition specimen. 



50c Trade Pkt ; Per Oz. $3.00 



If You Need Bulbs, WHte Us \ 



HENRY F.MIGHELLCO. 



518 Market St., Philadelphia 



Barron, Wis. — C. J. Borum of this 

 city raised 230 bushels of clover seed 

 on seventy-eight acres, for which he 

 has been offered $8 a bushel. He sold 

 the straw which was bright and green 

 for $427.60. The receipts which paid 

 the entire expenses, including seed, 

 leaving him $1,840 net profit. In a 

 good season he would have had nearly 

 double the amount of seed. 



McLeansboro, III. — The recent heavy 

 rains have greatly damaged the sun- 

 flower seed crop in Hamilton county, 

 Illinois. In the bottom lands the 

 plants have fallen over on account of 

 the ground being softened by the 

 water. The raising of sunflowers here 

 has increased rapidly in the last two 

 or three years. The price last year 

 was 4 cents per pound and in some 

 parts of the country the crops brought 

 from $75 to $80 per acre. The*largest 

 raiser this year is Al Coy, living in a 

 rich section of bottom lands seven 

 miles north of here and known as 

 the "cabbage patch." He has a field 

 of forty acres and he estimates his 

 loss this year at $1,500. Last year 

 10,000 bags were marketed here. 



fmENTION!!?! 



We have a fine stock of 

 HEALTHY HOME GROWN BULBS of 



LILIUM HANSONI Per 100 



A grand lilv for border 

 planting : $2.5.00 



CALLA ELLIOTTIANA 



Splendid yellow calla for 

 forcing 20.00 



■ LYCORIS SQUAMIGERA lo.ou i 

 (Amaryllis H:ii:ii) 



Complete list of German and 

 Japan Iris and Liliums will be 

 mailed on application. 



JOHN LEWIS CHILDS 



• Wholesale Dtpt. FlOfal PaFK, N. I. a 



Business For Sale! 



Well estalilislieil seed business iu a city 

 o( 70 Olio population is offered for sale. 

 This business has been well advertised and 

 is jirowing every year. Full particulars 

 upon application. Address, •■BUSINESS," 

 care of nOKTirTII/rURK. 



