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HOETICULTURE 



October 16, 1915 



SEED TRADE 



AMERICAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION 



Officers — President, J. M. Lopton, 

 Mattitock, L,. I., N. Y.; First Vice-Presi- 

 dent, Kirby B. White, Detroit, Mich.; 

 Second Vice-President, F. W. Bolgiano, 

 Washington, D. C; Secretary-Treasurer, 

 C. E. Kendel, Cleveland, O.; Assistant 

 Secretary, S. F. Willard, Jr., Cleveland, 

 O. Cincinnati, O., next meeting place. 



The Bean Crop. 



Nothwithstanding strenuous efforts 

 on our part to get something in tlie na- 

 ture of definite information regarding 

 tlie various seed crops, we are not able 

 at this date to gratify the very natural 

 desire of our readers for such informa- 

 tion. The leading seed growers tell us 

 that it is too early to be able to fur- 

 nish definite figures as to what their 

 deliveries will be, and, in addition, 

 crop conditions this year are more 

 puzzling than usual. We have been in- 

 formed that the bean crop is no bet- 

 ter than previous estimates, and with, 

 reference to the wax-pod varieties, it 

 is very nearly an even bet between 

 from two to three-fold or absolute crop 

 failure. It seems to be settled already 

 that several varieties will be returned 

 as crop failures, but there is hope that 

 a number of other varieties may re- 

 turn from a two to three-fold yield as 

 already stated. Most of the green-pod 

 varieties are in much the same condi- 

 tion, though there is some confidence 

 expressed that Refugees, Red Valen- 

 tines and Black Valentines may re- 

 turn a five or six-fold yield. There is 

 nothing new in the news affecting 

 Lima beans, and while there may be 

 some shortage in the Fordhook and 

 Burpee's Improved, there will prob- 

 ably be sufficient of the other varieties 

 to nieet ordinary requirements. 



. «e.<* >.' 



Peas. 



As the situation develops it begins 

 to look as if peas will not prove as 

 abundant a crop as appeared probable 

 a month ago. As threshing and hand 

 picking extends, the shrinkage be- 

 comes much larger than anticipated. 

 This is largely due to rain after har- 

 vest, and Ijefore the peas were threshed 

 in Wisconsin and Michigan, and, in 

 the northwest, to a shortage of water, 

 which affected the late varieties es- 

 pecially, although yields in general 

 are below average. It is expected that 

 the growers of peas and beans will 

 be issuing their preliminary estimates 

 in the very near future, which will 

 furnish the nearest to definite informa- 

 tion obtainable up to this time. 



Onion Sets and Seed. 

 As the price of onions and onion 

 sets very largely determines the de- 

 mand for onion seed, it may lie well to 

 take note of the existing situation. Re- 

 ports from all sources indicate a very 

 short crop of onions, of very inferior 

 quality as a whole. A very large deal- 

 er in onions reported recently that 

 in more than a week's canvass of one 

 of the leading onion growing counties 

 of Ohio, he had secured but three car- 

 loads of onions suitable for winter 

 storage. Nearly all the onions he saw 

 were so soft that he did not believe 

 they would carry beyond the holidays, 

 if they lasted that long, ^\^aile the 

 condition of onion sets is not so bad 

 as large onions, it is serious enough 



only generalize, although we assume 

 to prevent dealers from naming spring 

 prices, excepting at figures that seem 

 unreasonably high to buyers. Taking 

 the present conditions into careful con- 

 sideration, the conclusion is unavoid- 

 able that both onions and onion sets 

 will bring abnormally high prices next 

 spring, and in consequence thereof a 

 very heavy demand for onion seed. 



We have recently seem some of the 

 preliminary prices sent out by the 

 wholsesale houses on onion seed, and 

 they are certainly radically higher 

 than for several years past. Not an 

 item was quoted below $1.25, and from 

 that up to $2.50 in several hundred 

 pound lots. We are assured by one or 

 two wholesalers that these prices will 

 look very reasonable sixty or ninety 

 days hence. We are wondering what 

 the retail price of onion seed will be 

 this year, and especially what figures 

 will be named by the leading catalog 

 houses. No doubt this will be gov- 

 erned largely by their available stocks, 

 but it would seem that conditions will 

 justify rather strong prices. 



Other Seed Crops. 



We have stated in previous issues 

 that practically all vine seeds will be 

 short, but the extent of the shortage 

 cannot be ascertained as yet. It seems, 

 however, to be rather greater than ex- 

 pected some weeks ago. 



A considerable shortage is reported 

 in tomato seed, one or two leading 

 growers claiming that their yield will 

 not exceed 25 to 50 per cent of an 

 average. This will mean a firming up 

 in the price of tomato seed, but noth- 

 ing that will be alarming. 



The condition of corn has shown 

 further improvement, and it is gener- 

 ally believed now, that barring early 

 freezing weather, while the corn is 

 still soft, that tliere should be a fair 

 crop, although there is likely to be 

 some shortage in two or three of the 

 late varieties. 



No reference has been made to seed 

 corn of the sweet varieties, but we 

 can say. in a general way, that there 

 will be considerable of a crop of all 

 the standard varieties, though prices 

 because of quite a shortage will rule 

 considerably higher than last year. 



The radish seed crop of Michigan 

 has proved a good one, but that of Cal- 

 ifornia has been rather light. We un- 

 destand that the European crop is 

 light, then again is the eternal ques- 

 tion of whether we are going to get 

 any of it, and if so, how much. This 

 applies to practically all European 

 seed crops. Even from neutral coun- 

 tries there will be some trouble ex- 

 perienced, as shipping facilities are 

 much below normal and freight rates 

 very much higher. 



Wholesale Seedmen's League. 



The meeting of the directors of the 

 Wholesale Seedmen's League in New 

 York last week is reported to have 

 been a very interesting one, and the 

 prices suggested on beans, vine seeds, 

 biennials such as beets, mangels, car- 

 rots, turnips, etc., as well as onion 

 seed and tomato seed, all confirm the 

 predictions made in Horticulti'Re's 

 Seed Trade Notes from time to time 

 during the past two months. While 

 we have no details of the meeting, or 

 the prices suggested, we learn that 

 they are higher than we expected and 

 that on beans, as a whole, they are 



probably the highest ever named by 

 the wholesale trade of this country. 

 We also understand that onion seed 

 is considerably higher than any prices 

 named for several years. We wish we 

 could furnish detailed information, 

 but this is not available and we can 

 it will not be long before the trade in 

 general will be advised of the prices 

 suggested. 



Those of our readers who thought 

 our crop reports during August and 

 September were rather pessimistic 

 will probably acknowledge now that 

 we knew of what we were speaking, 

 and will appreciate the fact that Hor- 

 ticulture',s crop news is generally re- 

 liable. 



How to Select Seed Beans. 



(From Agri. Dept. Bulletin.) 



Get seed from your own crop if pos- 

 sible. If there are no clean pods in 

 your own crop try to secure clean pods 

 from a more fortunate neighbor. 



Select in the pod. not after thresh- 

 ing. 



Pick pods free from all spots. Spots 

 on the pods mean that anthracnose or 

 bacterial blight may be hidden in the 

 seemingly clean bean. 



Thresh selected pods separately. 



Examine your threshed seed care- 

 fully and throw out all doubtful-look- 

 ing beans, especially those that are 

 spotted or shriveled. 



Rotate. Don't replant old bean 

 ground next year. Clean seed and ro- 

 tation are the best crop insurance. 



If you have to buy your seed, make 

 sure that it has been selected by the 

 grower from disease-free pods. Ex- 

 amine purchased seed. Do not plant 

 if the threshed seed looks suspicious. 



Look ahead. Insure a supply of 

 clean seed for 1917 by selecting seed 

 from clean pods and planting it on 

 clean land in 1916. 



The trade in general will be sorry 

 to learn of the serious illness of Mr. 

 W. Atlee Burpee, who is now receiv- 

 ing treatment at a sanitarium in 

 Pennsylvania. We are glad to say 

 that the latest information to hand in- 

 dicates some improvement in Mr. 

 Burpee's condition. 



WANTED - BEANS 



Car lots or less — any variety — old or 

 new — must be sound and sweet. Mall U3 

 samples. 



THE J. CHAS. McCULLOUGHlSEED CO. 



228-230-232 East 4th Street 



CINCINNATI, O. 



Bulbs For Early Forcing 



Roman Hyacinths, Paper Whites, Giant 

 Purity Freesias, French Trumpet Major, 

 French Golden Spur. 



Ask for 1916 Bulb CatalogDe. 



Joseph Breck & Sons Corp., Seedsmen 



47-54 No. MarLei Si . BOSTON, MASS. 



W. E. MARSHALL & CO. 



SEED PLANTS AND BULBS 

 Horticultural Sundries 



166 W. 23rd St., NEW YORK 



