136 VEGETABLE FORCING 



High-quality seed for greenhouse purposes may be ob- 

 tained by two methods. The usual one is to purchase the 

 seed from reputable dealers. If this plan is followed, it 

 is important for each grower to make small plantings in 

 order to determine the merits of the seed in producing a 

 satisfactory crop, and in meeting definite market 

 conditions. 



It is gratifying to note in this connection that a fairly 

 large number of seedsmen specialize more or less in the 

 development of strains of vegetables adapted to green- 

 house culture. This is the ideal system and with the 

 growth of the vegetable-forcing industry it will become 

 more attractive to commercial seed growers. 



It is interesting to observe, however, that nearly all of 

 the extensive and the most successful growers of green- 

 house vegetables breed their own seed. This statement 

 does not apply to lettuce growers, though some of them 

 save their own seed, but it does to the men who are pro- 

 ducing cucumbers and tomatoes under glass. These 

 master growers claim that the practice enables them to 

 make larger profits because of the superiority of their 

 products. 



Fig. 43. Flat of Grand Rapids lettuce seedlings. 



When seed is saved from home-grown plants a few 

 principles should be carefully observed. In the first 

 place, no progress whatever will be made if fine speci- 

 mens are selected from the picking baskets. It is not 



