446 



HORTICULTUEE 



September 28, 1912 



Seed Trade 



Crop Prospects. 



The trade is quite naturally veiy 

 much interested in crop news, and the 

 premilinary estimates of the pea crop 

 issued by one or two of the growers 

 aroused "keen interest, and as a result 

 the other growers were besieged with 

 requests for information. The conser- 

 vative growers realizing that such in- 

 formation was of little real value, hav- 

 ing been based on what is known as 

 "crop estimates," have decided to wait 

 until their figures could be based on 

 something more tangible; that is, until 

 a sufficient quantity of their crops 

 were actually in store to make 

 their estimates just a little bet- 

 ter than a mere guess. Of course 

 when their customers become too 

 insistent in their demand for in- 

 formation, the growers can give only 

 such as they have, but in reality it is 

 little more than a reply to temporarily 

 satisfy curiosity. We base our opinion 

 on the fact that those who have is- 

 sued estimates have very emphatically 

 warned their customers not to accept 

 their figures as correct. In fact, we 

 learn that these figures have already 

 been modified with a marked down- 

 ward tendency on many items. 



However, we are inclined to believe 

 that there will be peas enough to sat- 

 isfy trade requirements, and that short- 

 ages can be covered at slight advances 

 over contracting prices. It may sur- 

 prise many to know that indications 

 now point to the greatest shortages 

 beingin what are known as "Canners' 

 Varieties," and particularly in Alaskas. 

 It is just possible that Grandus and 

 Thomas Laxton may prove as short, 

 but most of the fancy large-podded 

 sorts will range from 20 to 40 per cent 

 higher in deliveries. 



Growers are chary of information 

 about beans, but such as we can get 

 indicates a shortage of 25 to 50 per 

 cent. This may not prove an unmixed 

 evil, as there is undoubtedly a liberal 

 carry-over from last year, and while 

 we believe prices will be firm with 

 an upward trend, we do not look for 

 any radical advances over contracting 

 figures. 



While we have but little up-to-date 

 Information concerning corn, we be- 

 lieve a good average crop is practically 

 assured, though a heavy freeze within 

 the next two weeks would cause very 

 serious damage, and right here it may 

 be well to say that weather predictions 

 for the week indicate just this condi- 

 tion. By the time this reaches our 

 readers they will know just how ac- 

 curate these forecasts are. 



Onion seed is being quoted by job- 

 bers and sales of considerable quanti- 

 ties have been reported at figures ma- 

 terially higher than it opened at a year 

 ago. Owing to an unexpected demand; 

 created largely by the high prices of 

 onions, seed last year, and particular- 

 ly of the yellow varieties, advanced 

 considerably above the opening figures. 

 The situation the coming season prom- 

 ises to be much the other way, as there 

 has been a large crop of onions as 

 well as onion sets, and unless all the 

 information we have is much askew, 

 low prices for both are likely to rule 

 for the new crop. Low prices for 

 onions and onion sets generally mean 

 a reduced demand for seed, which, of 



course, will inevitably affect values, 

 and doubtless there will be seed 

 enough to satisfy the demand at fair 

 prices. If the market will sustain the 

 recent prices, seedsmen will have am- 

 ple cause for satisfaction and can 

 hardly expect any advance later. 



Statistics furnished by the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture of Washington, in- 

 dicate a large crop of potatoes, and low 

 prices were generally expected but rul- 

 ing figures at this date do not accord 

 with the general expectation, and have 

 occasioned surprise quite generally. 

 There are reports that rot of a malig- 

 nant character is attacking the tubei-s 

 in different sections of the country and 

 causing much alarm among growers 

 and heavy handlers of this stock. This 

 is caused, it is believed, by an excess 

 of rain and too little sunshine and 

 warmth. How serious this condition 

 is we are unable to say at this writing, 

 but hope for further information of a 

 more definite character. However, 

 there is little probability of prices 

 again reaching the high level of last 

 year. 



As to other crops, there is practical- 

 ly nothing new to report, at least there 

 are no radical changes from conditions 

 given in these columns a few weeks 

 ago, and we need not go further into 

 particulars. 



Notes. 

 Franklin, Mass.— W. F. Cobb & Co. 

 are to build a seed warehouse, 30 x 60 

 feet. 



Waterloo, Neb. — The J. C. Robinson 

 Seed Co. is building a brick and con- 

 crete power house; also a storage 

 warehouse, 80 x 120 feet. 



As mentioned in our "Philadelphia 

 Notes," W. H. Maule has purchased 

 valuable property on which he will 

 erect a large building, involving an 

 investment of approximately $1,000,- 

 000. 



Cottage Hill, Fla. — The Pensacola 

 Seed & Nursery Co. has been incor- 

 porated and opened headquarters here. 

 They have a capital stock of $25,000. 

 W. V. Vincent, president; S. B. Der- 

 ringer, secretary and treasurer. 



The Tinsley Seed Co. have retired 

 from business in St. Louis and will 

 move all stock and fixtures to their 

 store at Louisville, Ky. Mr. Bryant, 

 the local manager, goes to the Louis- 

 ville house. 



Wichita, Kan.— W. F. Puckett has 

 been appointed receiver for the Cen- 

 tral Seed Co., 243 North Main street, 

 and will open the store for business. 

 Owing to suits brought against the 

 manager. W. B. Borden, the store has 

 been closed for some time. 



/ V 



Our Introduction for 1913 



The New Clear Scarlet Bed- 

 Ing Geranium 



"HELEN MIGHELL" 



ITS IVIERITS: 



1 . The Finest Scarlet Geranium ever intro- 



duced. 



2. The only scarlet variety, which blooms all 



summer. 



3. The largest truss and single bloom of any. 



4. Is semi-double, compact and medium dwarf. 



5. Has most blooms to a single plant. 



6. The best Propagator of all. 



7. Stands all kinds of weather. 



8. Blooms early and continuous. 



ALL IN ALL 



THE BEST MONEY-MAKER FOR THE FLORIST. 



Orders boo1:ed noii- arr tUhd in rotaticn as 

 rcct'i7'cd front Jaintnry IQl ^ oii'^vctrd. 



2 ■:; Inch pots, S2.5D doz.; t15.00 per 100 ; $125.00 per 1000 



Mr. Alfred Emerich, representing 

 Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co., 

 Paris, France, will arrive in New York 

 about the 28th inst., and will visit the 

 seed trade as usual throughout the 

 TJnited States and Canada. His head- 

 quarters while in New York will be, 

 care H, Frank Darrow, 26 Barclay 

 street. New York City. 



At the recent meeting of its board of 

 directors the Jerome B. Rice Seed Co. 

 elected the following officers for the 



fin nn I^* gold we offer as a prize for 

 *•"'■'"' the best 4.in. pot of "Helen Michell" 

 to be competed for at the National Flower Show, 

 at New York, April, 1013. 



MICHELL'S SEED HOUSE 



518 Market Street, Phila., Pa 



) 



QUALITY 



SEED 

 BULB 

 PLANT 



SEND FOR OATALOaUE. 



ARTHUR T. BODDINQTON 



.!«« W«»« 14th St., N«w Tot-k. 



BULBS 



^«»i-t:^Kk ^rtd 



Ready Now 



0. V. ZANGEN, Hoboken, N. J. 



POULTRY and 

 FRUIT REVIEW 



A piibliration on the farm journal that 

 reviews all poultry and fruit papers in 

 United States, will be sent on trial one 

 year to all who send IG cents, to pay 

 wrapping and pi»st:ipe, and names of 

 three fruit or poultry raisers. 



THE REX COMPANY 



lIARRI.SIilKfi. P.\, 



ensuing year: Jerome B. Rice, Jr., 

 president; C. E. Smith, treasurer; John 

 L. Hunt, secretary. As stated in these 

 columns some weeks ago, no radical 

 changes in the policy of this house are 

 in prospect, and none are contem- 

 plated. 



Messrs. Winfried Roelker, James 

 McHutchison, C. B. Knickman and 

 Wm. Pitkin appeared before the fed- 

 eral horticultural board of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture at Washington on 

 September 16, to discuss and ascertain 

 the exact requirements of the new 

 plant quarantine law particularly in 

 regard to protection against the white 

 pine blister. 



