SEED SELECTION AND GROWING 49 



cases farmers contract with seedsmen to produce 

 certain quantities. This is well illustrated by the 

 case of J. L. White whose farm at Mount Morris, 

 N. Y., the writer has visited. Mr. White had 85 

 acres planted to beans. The varieties grown were 

 Black Wax Pencil Pod, and Red Valentine. The 

 product was all contracted for before the seed was 

 planted. He knew that he was to receive $2.25 a 

 bushel for the Black Wax Pencil Pod and $1.75 a 

 bushel for the Red Valentine. The first named are 

 not quite as productive and hardy as the Valentines. 

 The seedsmen usually supply the seed so that they 

 can bank on the product. 



The seedsman's position is well illustrated by the 

 well known firm of D. M. Ferry & Co., of Michigan. 

 Relative to the work, Mr. Ferry writes as follows : 

 "We have a stock seed farm of several hundred 

 acres on which we grow, select and breed up stock 

 seeds of all varieties of beans and other vegetables. 

 Our main crop of beans is grown for use by farmers 

 under contract, and from seed we furnish. We in- 

 spect and rogue the different fields so that the crop 

 as far as the farmer is concerned is on practically the 

 same basis as the ordinary field crop, except that the 

 price is agreed upon before the seed is planted. One 

 year we entered the comparative profits of beans 

 grown for the regular markets and for the seedsmen, 

 with a result rather in favor of the latter." Mr. 

 White is very pronounced in his opinion on this 

 point. He believes that the seedsmen offer a much 

 better proposition for the farmer than for the bean 

 grower to depend upon local markets. It should be 

 stated in this connection, however, that if all the 

 farmers grew seed beans, the price would unques- 

 tionally go down. 



