608 



HORTICULTURE 



October 12, 1912 



Seed Trade 



Wholesale Seedsmen's League. 



The Wholesale Seedsmen's League 

 met at the Hardware Club in New 

 York, on Thursday, the 3rd inst., and 

 as customary at such meetings dis- 

 cussed suggestive prices for the com- 

 ing season. We are advised that the 

 members found it unusually difficult 

 to fix prices this year because of the 

 contradictions and uncertainties of our 

 crop conditions. We learn that some 

 items were passed over and no prices 

 fixed, but of course are unable to give 

 any detailed information as to what 

 transpired at the meeting. We pre- 

 sume that following the usual custom 

 copies of the prices suggested will 

 be mailed to all members of the 

 League and many of the leading 

 houses not members. In due time we 

 shall be able to learn what the prices 

 were and in a general way we believe 

 that they are somewhat lower than 

 last year, particularly on peas. 



Many Seed Crops Immature. 

 It seems not improbable that beans 

 may be higher; also a number of va- 

 rieties of cabbage. This is based on 

 information as to the very light yields 

 of cabbage and a very unsatisfactory 

 condition of the bean crop. It is re- 

 ported that many varieties are still so 

 green or immature that they are quite 

 suitable for the table even at this late 

 date. Undoubtedly this condition is 

 the result of the very frequent and 

 almost continuous rains of the past 

 two months, which have prevented the 

 crop from maturing, and kept it in a 

 soft if not green condition. As a mat- 

 ter of fact, even peas were so affected, 

 some varieties remaining green up to 

 very near the 1st of October, whereas 

 they should have been ripe under nor- 

 mal conditions by the 1st of Septem- 

 ber. 



Peas and Beans Ripening Poorly. 



Referring to peas, we are advised 

 that the early optimistic estimates 

 have proved to be greatly out of line, 

 many growers finding it necessary to 

 reduce their figures from 10 to 40 per 

 cent. This discrepancy between con- 

 ditions today and the early estimates 

 is largely due to the reasons given 

 above; namely, too much rain and 

 moisture which prevented the peas 

 from ripening, and which situation, of 

 course, could not have been antici- 

 pated by those who made the field 

 estimates. 



The latest information about sweet 

 corn is that the crop may prove, like 

 peas and beans, somewhat disappoint- 

 ing. It seems that considerable of the 

 corn is yet soft and very susceptible 

 to a freeze, which would ruin a con- 

 siderable percentage of it; consequent- 

 ly, nothing definite can be said as to 

 the corn crop. 



the face of the very large crop, ac- 

 cording to the figures of the Depart- 

 ment ct Agriculture. 



We referred in a recent issue to 

 ret which had attacked potatoes, and 

 are inclined to believe that this is 

 doubtless a cause for the present 

 strong prices. If the tubers were 

 sound and hard as a year ago there is 

 no doubt that present market values 

 could not be maintained. We have 

 not learned how general this rot trou- 

 ble is, but are advised that there is 

 more or less complaint from Maine 

 growers and also from the West. 



The Potato Situation. 

 The order issued by the Secretary 

 of Agriculture, Mr. Wilson, prohibiting 

 the importation of foreign potatoes 

 will doubtless be appreciated by the 

 seed trade. To be sure the order is 

 not absolutely prohibitive, but does al- 

 fect those countries from which we 

 have drawn most heavily in years of 

 shortage; and while this cannot be 

 said to be a year of shortage, yet 

 prices remain surprisingly strong in 



Onions Also Soft. 



By the way, while speaking of po- 

 tatoes, we may remark that while the 

 onion crop is a very large one, similar 

 complaints are being made as of the 

 potatoes. Too much rain prevented 

 the onions from properly drying down 

 and a large percentage had green tops 

 when harvesting. Therefore under such 

 circumstances the keeping qualities 

 would not be very high, and doubtless 

 large handlers of onions appreciate 

 this fact, as they are not buying lib- 

 erally despite the low prices, prefer- 

 ring to let the farmer winter the stock 

 and to pay the market value in the 

 spring. The bulbs, or at least a large 

 percentage of them, are very watery 

 and more or less soft, and if the winter 

 proves to be a warm open one they 

 will rot down like snow under an 

 April sun. All of which will in due 

 time affect the demand for onion seed. 



A Baseless Rumor. 

 We have been advised on the high- 

 est authority that the rumor which has 

 been in circulation for the past week 

 or ten days, that Sutton & Son of Eng- 

 land, had taken over the business of 

 J. M. Thorburn & Company, and that 

 Mr. Alexander Forbes, recently with 

 Peter Henderson & Company, was to 

 become manager, is a pure invention, 

 absolutely without any foundation in 

 fact. We have not learned anything 

 about Mr. Forbes' plans, but presume 

 he has a definite purpose in view, 

 which will doubtless materialize in due 

 time, and In any event he has our 

 best wishes. 



Grass Seed Crop. 



Barenbrug, Burgers & Co., grass- 

 seed specialists, Arnheim, Holland, re- 

 port that after a number of years 

 following one another in succession 

 unfavorable to the cultivation of the 

 majority of grasses, so far as yields 

 are concerned, they have this time 

 to report a crop of natural grasses, 

 both in home and foreign growing 

 districts, nearly all of which may be 

 called very satisfactory, both in re- 

 gard to yield and quality. The excep- 

 tions are ?iard and sheeps and flne- 

 leaved fescues and rough-stalked 

 meadow only. 



Achillea Millefolium (Yarroio), gave 

 a fair crop of nice healthy seed, which 

 will be obtainable at reasonable 

 prices. 



Agrostis Stolonifera (Marsh or 

 Creeping Bentgrass). Early pros- 

 pects pointed to a good crop. Unfor- 

 tunately a great deal has gone lost 

 and the quality has suffered much by 

 the showery weather which started 

 when the crop was just about to be 

 cut and which lasted over four weeks. 



Aira Caespitosa (Tufted Hairgrass) 

 gave an average crop of good heavy 



quality and will sell at average prices. 

 Aira Flexuosa (Wavy Mountain 

 Hairgrass) yielded a crop somewhat 

 less than average. 



Alopecurus Pratensis (Meadow Fox- 

 tail). A very good crop of nice seed 

 of heavier weight and greater cleanli- 

 ness than for the last few years; price 

 rather under average. 



Anthoxanthum Odoratum (Sweet- 

 scented Vernal, true) failed almost en- 

 tirely in some districts whereas in 

 others it yielded a crop under average. 

 A tendency for a further rise iu price. 

 Anthoxanthum Odoratum, Puelli 

 (Sweet Vernal, Puelli) average crop of 

 good quality. Prices opened at about 

 two-thirds those of last year. 



Avena Elatior iTall Oatgrass). A 

 good crop which will sell at even low- 

 er prices than the previous season. 

 Avena Flavescens (Yellow Oatgrass, 

 true) produced a good crop of excel- 

 lent quality and selling cheaper than 

 last year. 



Cynosurus Cristatus (Crested Dogs- 

 tail). Apart from a tew early excep- 

 tional lots, the quality on the whole 

 will be but a poor one. About three- 

 fifths of an average crop. We think 

 that the better qualities will fetch 

 somewhat higher prices than last sea- 

 son. 



Dactylls Glomerata (Cocksfoot or 

 Orchard-grass). A'eic Zealand reports 

 a good crop so far as quantity is con- 

 cerned but one that is wholly unsat- 

 isfactory for quality. Very little seed 

 is suited for export to Europe, where 

 the better grades are required. Just 

 the same is reported from the United 

 States where, likewise, a good yield 

 was recorded, but where three fourths 

 of the seed are of so poor a quality, 

 that it won t do for export. 



Festuca Duriuscula and Ovima 

 (Hard and Sheep's Fescue), form an 

 exception to the general rule of good 

 crops in 1912. We estimate this sea- 

 son's yield at from 70 to 80 per cent 

 that of last season. The seeds were 

 bought from the farmers at much the 

 same prices as last year, so that the 

 dressed seeds will sell at about equal 

 value as the previous season. 



Festuca Elatior (Tall Fescue) yield- 

 ed about an average crop so far as 

 quantity is concerned but of a rather 

 light quality. Moderate quotations will 

 be In accordance with the market 

 value of Meadow fescue. 



Festuca Ovina Tenuifolia (Fine- 

 leaved Sheep's Fescue) unsatisfactory, 

 at best one half of an average yield. 

 The quality, on the other hand, is a 

 good deal better than last year. 



Festuca Pratensis (Meadow Fescue). 

 This shows perhaps the greatest fall 

 in price this year of any of the vari- 

 ous grasses and clovers. After a few 

 years of exceedingly short crops and 

 enormously high prices, this article 

 appears to have yielded this time very 

 good crops indeed. The article now 

 sells "fancy" grade about one-quarter 

 of last year's price. 



Festuca Rubra (Red Fescue). This 

 season's seed is of a good nice quality 

 and sells some 10 to 15 per cent cheap- 

 er than the previous season. 



Phleuni Pratense /^Timothy) yielded 

 a good crop in America, both in re- 

 gard to quantity and quality, the qual- 

 ity being better than has been the 

 case for the last few years. Prices 

 have greatly come down compared 

 with the last two seasons. Very little 

 definite is known as yet in regard to 



