March 11, 1916 



HOETICULTURE 



341 



THE MacNIFF HORTICULTURAL COMPANY 



52, 54 and 56 Vesey Street, NEW YORK 



SALES* NOW IN FULL SWING 



Rhododendrons, Rose Bushes, Evergreens, Vines of all kinds, Bulhs, Efc. 



Salesday. each TUESDAY and FRIDAY at 11 o'clock A. M. 



SEND FOR CATALOGUE 



SEED TRADE 



Canners' Bulldozing. 



Several weeks ago we called atten- 

 tion to a new form of contract which 

 the Wisconsin canners had adopted, 

 and were trying to impose on the pea 

 and bean growers. This contract con- 

 tained several objectionable features, 

 such as forbidding the "blending" of 

 seed, meaning that each farmer's 

 crop was to be kept separate during 

 the process of threshing, milling, 

 screening and handpicking, and each 

 lot of seed was to bear the name of 

 the farmer who grew it and just where 

 it was grown. Just how all this was 

 to benefit the canner, neither they nor 

 anyone else has yet explained, but it 

 would simply compel the seed grower 

 to disclose the name of the farmer 

 who grew the seed and his location. 

 It is needless to point out that this is 

 a confidential matter with every seed 

 grower, and that under no conceivable 

 conditions could such information be 

 of any practical value to the canner. 



In addition to the aforementioned 

 clause was another telling the seed 

 grower on what basis to plant in order 

 to fulfil his contracts. In tact, the 

 seed grower was not consulted at all, 

 the canners having decided in their 

 infinite wisdom that they would name 

 the terms and conditions under which 

 the seed grower was to transact hla 

 business. 



Tearing Down the Fences. 



The feature most objectionable to 

 the seed grower, however, was the 

 elimination of the non-warranty clause, 

 or as it is generally known the "dis- 

 claimer." as adopted by the American 

 Seed Trade Association. This matter 

 came to a head in December last dur- 

 ing the meeting of the Wisconsin Can- 

 ners' Association at Milwaukee. When 

 the matter was presented to the seed 

 growers, nearly all of the principal 

 growers being represented, a meeting 

 was called to discuss the matter, and 

 it was unanimously agreed that the 

 proposed contract was so objectionable 

 that it could not be accepted by the 

 growers. It was evident, however, 

 that there were a number of weak sis- 

 ters who had not the moral courage to 

 oppose the other growers at the 

 moment, but who were only waiting 

 for an excuse to disregard the senti- 

 ment expressed at the meeting re- 

 ferred to, and accept the canners' 

 contract. The first break was made 

 by one of the very smallest of growers 

 located in the West, who heard voices 



and saw ghosts booking contracts for 

 seed peas from the canners, and being 

 unable to resist the temptation, sur- 

 rendered and began writing contracts 

 on the canners' blanks. At the time 

 of the National Canners' Convention 

 at Louisville this man was the only 

 one who had broken what was in ef- 

 fect an agreement not to accept the 

 canners' contract. Nearly all of the 

 growers represented at the Conven- 

 tion exchanged views on this subject 

 and all signified their purpose to stand 

 fast on the understanding reached at 

 Milwaukee. Within a week or ten 

 days following the Convention two of 

 these growers, torn by conflicting 

 emotions, were no longer able to resist 

 the lure of the canners' contract and 

 capitulated. They had the grace, how- 

 ever, to notify their competitors of 

 their intention, and it was not long 

 before the conservative members of 

 the American Seed Trade Association, 

 realizing that this would mean the 

 practical nullification of the dis- 

 claimer, decided that prompt and radi- 

 cal action was necessary to avert this 

 disaster. Accordingly a meeting was 

 called for Chicago for the 2nd instant, 

 to consider what steps should be 

 taken to avert the threatened trouble. 



TicuLTURE. If so. We Shall be pleased 

 to give the information to our readers. 



The Rennie Company's Disaster. 

 The recent fire which destroyed or 

 seriously damaged the warehouse and 

 seed stocks of the William Rennie 

 Company of Toronto, Canada, seems to 

 have wrought quite as severe damage 

 as originally estimated. We under- 

 stand that many stocks which it waa 

 thought were only slightly damaged 

 have proved to be quite useless. This 

 old reliable house has risen to the oc- 

 casion with remarkable fortitude and 

 energy, and while their losses may 

 temporarily cripple them, they will 

 probably emerge without any very 

 great or permanent damage in the 

 end. 



Danger Ahead. 



It must be apparent to any thought- 

 ful person that once the disclaimer 

 was eliminated, it could not be con- 

 fined to Wisconsin, but that not only 

 the canner customers of the seed 

 growers, but the seedsmen themselves 

 would demand that the growers of 

 peas and beans should write the same 

 style of contract for them. In time 

 the growers of every variety of seeds 

 would have to surrender to the same 

 demand, and thus the seed trade 

 would be bereft of its only protection 

 against careless or dishonest custom- 

 ers. If this situation did not appear 

 to those who violated the fundamental 

 principle of the American Seed Trade 

 Association, they must have been lack- 

 ing in ordinary discernment. We have 

 not learned, as yet, what action was 

 taken at the meeting in Chicago, but 

 may possibly acquire the information 

 in time for the next issue of Hok- 



Trade Conditions. 



Notwithstanding the most inhos- 

 pitable of weather, nearly all branches 

 of the Seed Trade report good busi- 

 ness, with excellent prospects. In fact, 

 the trade is quite optimistic as com- 

 pared with the feeling that existed 

 earlier in the season. To be sure 

 many have suffered great disappoint- 

 ment and much inconvenience by fail- 

 ure to secure stocks from Europe 

 which they had confidently believed 

 they would get, and this has undoubt- 

 edly meant some loss to many in the 

 trade. However, it is surprising how 

 the seed trade can adjust itself to new 

 conditions, and most of the leading 

 members have devised substitutions 

 which will probably carry them 

 through the season without great loss 

 and with fair satisfaction to their cus- 

 tomers. 



Although yet comparatively early, 

 offers of beans are beginning to ap- 

 pear where none could be bought for 

 love or money not many weeks since. 

 There seems always something hidden 

 away in the old socks which can be 

 brought forth in emergencies. How- 

 ever, it is well to remark that most of 

 the beans being offered are of the 

 Green Pod variety. Not many offers 

 of Wax beans have been noted, and 

 these very few offers are confined to 

 one or two varieties. 



There has been a very active de- 



^■S»MCE»«»^»®B*'**-??W5S*»«! 



i 



-TRKKS Pi 



L w tt ra auortment io N • w t''! 



En^Lnd. Everjr««ni, d«ciduoai •-tt* I' xy 

 ir«€» both common and rarer 1|\K. O' 



v&ncties. '' 



Sturdy, choice stock th»t oan be 

 depended upon. Send for cata- 

 log and special trade prices. 



' ^ ^d m^ I ji ^ c^ 



North AbtngtOD 



This New Englant^ *^'and 

 .-^^^.^ climaie producn fine sturdy 

 >dT^S shrubs. 5p«oai trade prices. 

 ff By the thoufc vk. hardy 



W Nahve and Hybrtd Rhodo- 



Vi dendrons — trar\splanied and 



|'.l accltm&ied. Let us eximate. 



.^Mi 



Jti^^^'j,:^ 



LTispIonied and -'' 

 .ei us cMimate, ?■- 



