T2* 



HOKTICUUTURi: 



December 29, 1906 



ally known in the trade and more than 

 one grower crippled vine plants in an 

 effort to develop a dwarf, but withovit 

 success. 



The White Plume celery is another 

 notable example of a seed sport and 

 once the break came others followed. 

 I had almost forgotten to mention the 

 latest and most interesting forms of 

 sporting, viz.. the ferns which have 

 sported from the "Boston" variety. If 

 I remember correctly, when that va- 

 riety first made its appearance, there 

 was considerable discussion as to what 

 it really was, and it was finally classi- 

 fied as a sport from Nephrolepis ex- 

 altata. Darwin said: "Of all the 

 causes which induce variability, ex- 

 cess of food, whether or not changed 

 in nature, is probably the most pow- 

 erful." Here again we have the food 

 question. The florist and gardener be- 

 lieves that the amount of food which 

 will bring his crop to the highest per- 

 fection is not excessive, possibly he is 

 wrong. The excessive amount is that 

 which will cause deterioration, and it 

 is not under such conditions that 

 sports have appeared with him. It 

 might not serve any useful purpose, 

 yet it seems to promise an interesting 

 field of study for some of our scien- 

 tists to thoroughly examine into sports 

 obtained through bad variation under 

 domestication in an effort to clear 

 away the mists which now surround 

 their origin. 



SEED TRADE TOPICS. 



DAHLIAS FROM SEED. 



Seed should be sown in rather light 

 soil in flat or shallow bench in green- 

 house, last of February or March. 

 When true leaves first appear they 

 should be potted into 2-inch pots with 

 the seed leaves just at the surface. 

 Repot as needed and plant out when 

 safe to set tomatoes (early May in lat- 

 itude of Philadelphia and about June 

 1st for Boston), care being taken that 

 the plants do not get checked, also 

 that every seedling be saved, as gen- 

 erally the strongest plants are worth- 

 less and the most delicate give the 

 best flowers and eventually develop 

 into strong plants. 



Where large quantities are to be 

 grown the seed can be sown in hot 

 beds or frames the same as tomatoes, 

 but very thinly; care taken not to over 

 water, but keep the surface stirred and 

 allow plenty of air to prevent draw- 

 ing and damping off. Handled in this 

 way they need not be potted and can 

 be transplanted safely to the open 

 ground with practically no loss. 



Seedlings handled in this manner, 

 where weather will permit setting by 

 May loth, will commence blooming by 

 July. Very truly yours, 



L. K. PEACOCK. 



INCORPORATED. 



Henry E. Jaeger, New York, florist: 

 H. E. and C. R. Jaeger, A. J. Rowley; 

 capital, $10,000. 



Rice Bros. Co., Geneva, N. T.; nur- 

 sery stock, seeds, etc.; J. F. and T. W. 

 Rice, O. C. Rose; capital, $25,iiOO. 



Charles H. Fox Co., Manhattan, N. 

 Y., natural and artificial greenhouse 

 flowers: C. H. Fox, Phila.; J. Hirsch 

 and W. Jacobs, New York; capital, 

 $25,000, 



The leading retail seedsmen have 

 been so busy during the past few 

 weeks with holiday goods that seeds 

 have been relegated to the extreme 

 rear. The general opinion of the trade 

 is that the activity in this line of 

 goods has surpassed any previous year 

 and there will be little in the way of 

 really saleable goods carried over the 

 New Year. The decoration of stores 

 and store fronts has never been so 

 lavishly done as it has this year. In 

 many western cities the decoratin.g of 

 store fronts and even of the fronts of 

 entire buildings has been done on a 

 most elaborate scale, many hundreds 

 of yards of laurel and ground pine 

 "rope" being used on a single build- 

 ing. This was especially a feature at 

 Indianapolis when the demand was in 

 excess of the capacity of the local deal- 

 ers to supply. 



Now that the decorative feature has 

 passed for this year, thoughts will 

 turn again to the more prosaic but 

 really important part of the seeds- 

 men's business. A few advance cou- 

 riers of the catalogues for 1907 have 

 appeared, and these are mainly from 

 the South, but the leaders are not yet 

 in evidence, though we may look for 

 them immediately after Jan. 1. It is 

 confidently predicted that the response 

 of the seed buying public will be 

 prompt and liberal. 



It may be taken for granted that 

 both the House and Senate Commit- 

 tees on Agriculture will declare 

 against free seeds, and it is hoped 

 they will not be overriden on the floor 



of either of these bodies. In view of 

 the strong array of facts marshalled 

 by the seedsmen's committee. It would 

 seem to be reflecting on either the in- 

 telligence or honesty of both House 

 and Senate to think them capable of 

 continuing such a thoroughly Scotched 

 and discredited graft. But then Con- 

 gress is "fearfully and wonderfully 

 made," and people should reserve their 

 applause until after the votes are 

 counted, then, "maybe there won't be 

 no applause." However, we can hope 

 for the best, and in view of the fact 

 that some of the heaviest blows dealt 

 this abuse were from the home of its 

 friends, the South, and notably from 

 Texas, makes one optimistic. Then 

 Bailey, from the octopus killing states. 

 is against free seeds. Now Bailey is 

 not afraid of any octopus. He is liks 

 the man who was not afraid of work, 

 and to prove it he down with his hoe 

 in a reedy cornfield and went to sleep 

 Bailey is so little afraid of an octopus 

 that he will accept a retainer from it 

 and work loyally and energetic for it. 

 Still he is a.gainst the free seed graft, 

 and being an able and vi.gorous de- 

 bater, he can prove of great assistance 

 in defeating the appropriation. 



Canners' peas are still soaring and 

 have now passed the $4.00 per bushel 

 mark. I'nless "seed stock" appears 

 pretty soon, canners' varieties will not 

 b? procurable at any price. Already 

 .Admiral's Advancers, Horsford's Mar- 

 Iset Oarden and Surprise are scarcely 

 obtainable, and this situation will be 

 worse before it is better. 



CARNATION IMPERIAL. 



.Ti.lm F. TI:iinc^. Oi-lirhintnr. 



