210 



HORTICULTURE 



August 12, 1911 



Seed Trade 



Pea Situation Slightly Better. 

 There have been no radical changes 

 in crop conditions during the past 

 three or four weeks but the interval 

 lias served to brjng the end more near- 

 lj in sight especially with reference 

 to peas. The pea crop is now virtually 

 made, and the only possible effect of 

 weather would he to damage rather 

 than to help the crop. From all in- 

 formation available, it looks at this 

 as if tin- crop would not be as 

 bad as last year though it will be very 

 short. In some districts conditions 

 are tally as bad as last year, while in 

 others they are much better, and 

 while, of course, it is impossible to 

 state what percentages will be de- 

 livered on contracts we would venture 

 the opinion that these percentages as 

 a whole, will be materially better 

 than a year ago. 



Farmers' Alaskas and Canners' Sweet. 

 Last year the farmers of Wisconsin 

 raised, approximately, from 40 to 

 5O,O0U bushels of what are known as 

 "tanners' Alaskas." while it is esti- 

 mated that the crop this year will not 

 exceed 5000 bushels. This is not due 

 to any material reduction in acreage 

 but to the climatic conditions at the 

 time that peas were in bloom and 

 most susceptible to the bad effects of 

 intense hot weather. The 50 000 

 bushels of "farmers' Alaskas" which 

 were grown last year went into con- 

 sumption quite generally, principally 

 being used by the canners. This year 

 they will not have this source to draw 

 against, and it would seem as if good 

 pedigree seed should be worth fully as 

 much and possibly mav bring even 

 higher prices than a year ago. The 

 same may be said regarding what are 

 known as canners' "sweet peas " the 

 latter including Horsfords, Advancers, 

 Admirals, Surprise and Prince of 

 Wales. While other varieties than 

 these are used in emergencies, these 

 varieties comprise practically all that 

 are used by the canning trade in 

 years when they can be procured in 

 sufficient quantity. The crop of canned 

 peas will be rather lighter than last 

 year, in fact, from all reports the crop 

 will be decidedly lighter than a year 

 ago, and if one may gauge the situa- 

 tion by prevailing prices on the 

 canned product, the total pack will be 

 the lightest ever harvested from the 

 acreage planted. No doubt, the grow- 

 ers of sweet peas will be sending out 

 their preliminary reports within the 

 next few weeks and then we shall 

 come nearer knowing the exact situa- 

 tion. The only guide the grower has 

 at this time of the year is his field 

 estimates, and it has been shown that 

 these are a very uncertain guide this 

 year. While the threshing returns 

 have, in a few instances, been better 

 than the estimates, as a rule, they 

 have been disappointing and have re- 

 duced the estimates from one-half to 

 one fold. One factor that has materi- 

 ally affected the pea crop, particularly 

 in Wisconsin, has been the ravages of 

 the pea louse. This pest made its ap- 

 pearance rather late in the season, but 

 within the short time they had to 

 work, several thousands of acres of 

 the late planting were practically de- 

 stroyed. One of the large Wisconsin 



MICHELL'S 



Giant 

 Exhibition 



PANSY 



The "Distinctive" 

 Florist Pansy 



Gigantic in size, robust in texture, beautiful in form and 

 gorgeous in coloring, are only a few of the descriptions we can 

 give in this limited space. 



Spring City, Pa. 

 The Giant Exhibition Pansies, seed of which I purchased 

 of you last Fall, are now in bloom. I wish you could see them. 

 The flowers are of the largest size and finest colors. I have 

 grown Pansies for the last twenty years and thought I had the 

 best, but I must say yours take the cake; they must be seen 

 to be appreciated. A. S. C. 



30c per ': trade pkt. ; 50c per trade pkt. ; 75c per ' - oz. ; $5.00 per oz. 



WE CAN FURNISH ALSO ALL OTHER STRAINS OF PANSIES; 



Write for our Wholesale July Catalogue, just out. 



■tartJtV Philadelphia, Pa. 



HENRY F. MICHELL GO. 



packers is said to have lost about 700 

 acres due entirely to the louse. 



Beans. 

 Beans are looking fairly well, but 

 will not be a very heavy crop. Some 

 of the growers are not expecting above 

 one-half to two-thirds of the average 

 yield, while others are looking for bet- 

 ter results. There is not much chance 

 for any material improvement in the 

 bean crop, while a wet harvest may 

 mean that the crop that matures may 

 be reduced materially, while samples 

 will be generally unsatisfactory. 

 Should dry weather prevail during 

 harvest, samples should be fine, and 

 there will probably be beans enough 

 to satisfy all ordinary requirements. 



will be a market in the west for con- 

 siderable eastern grown stock this fall. 

 California crops, as a whole, are 

 fairly satisfactory, and there has been 

 no serious damage reported to any line 

 of seeds grown on the Pacific Coast. 

 We h£ve not had any definite news as 

 to the European situation, and do not 

 think that actual conditions will be 

 known for the next 30 or 60 days. In 

 a general way, nearly all root crops 

 will be light as has been reported in 

 these columns from time to time. 

 Actual figures, we are unable to give 

 at this writing, but hope to be able 

 to give something more definite within 

 the next few weeks. 



Corn. 

 Corn is still an uncertain factor in 

 the crop situation, but we infer from 

 reports received that early corn has 

 suffered beyond all hope of improve- 

 ment and the crop will be very light. 

 Later varieties with favorable con- 

 ditions from now on, will doubtless 

 yield fair results, but there is always 

 danger of early frost, and we can 

 only hope that this may be delayed 

 until after the crop is sufficiently 

 matured to be past damage from any 

 ordinary white frost. Hard, freezing 

 weather would, of course, be very dis- 

 astrous to corn even after it had 

 matured enough to resist the ordinary 

 early frosts. 



We are informed that the Batchelor 

 Seed Store, of Utica, N. Y., is going 

 out of business. Whether they will 

 sell out to some other concern or sim- 

 ply close out the business, we have 

 not been informed, but the fact that 

 they are really going to close out is, 

 we believe, definitely settled. 



Miscellaneous Crop Notes. 

 In the west the potato crop this year 

 has been the poorest in 25 years. In 

 many states there will hardly be 

 enough produced to meet home re- 

 quirements, and it looks as if there 



Florists and Seedsmen Sell Your 

 Own Scratch or Poultry Food 



We wilt make it for you under your own brand for 

 3 22 13. OO PER TON 



Send to-day for •ample 100 lb bag. $i.t.o. Mr. C. 

 E. Jenson of Atlantic Co., N. J,, on Oct. 27, 1910, 

 writes ai followa: — I want to wate that your three 

 grade 1 of Poultry Food; Chkk Starter Developing 

 Food and "Square Deal" Scratch or Poultry Food 

 stands without an equal to day. They are perfect 

 mixtures and sound in grain and a pleasure to 

 handle. 



J. BOLGIANO & SON, 



i«Mrtir$ mi tkitoubn. Estakfekri tir 12 Imn. 

 BALTIMORE, MD. 



