No. 4.] GAEDEN SEEDS. 57 



yourselves of the opportunity to accept his invitation, and 

 see his grounds. 



This morning the speaker told us, when we found a strain 

 of good seed that we were satisfied with, to buy largely and 

 buy even more than we wished to use that season. Isn't it a 

 little dangerous sometimes to buy some seeds, — whether 

 they will keep good for several years or more than one year ? 



Mr. Tkacy. The question of how long seed will keep is a 

 somewhat variable one. I have used vine seeds that were 

 sixteen years old and turnip seed twelve years old, and got a 

 perfect stand ; onion seed two years old, and got a better 

 stand than the average of seed only one year old. It depends 

 largely on the species. Some species retain their vitality a 

 great deal longer than others ; but a seed with good vitality 

 primarily, when it was harvested, will retain it a good deal 

 longer. If I were growing seed commercially, I would want 

 to test my seed and hold it over a season. 



Mr. Eawson. As to the question of seed, I would allow 

 that all vine seeds are better, the older they are, up to ten 

 or fifteen years old. They have a tendency to produce more 

 fruit and less foliage. I try to keep my cucumber seed and 

 squash seed as a general thing two or three years before I 

 sell them, because they do produce much more fruit with 

 much less vine. As for beans, you can grow the best quality 

 and grow a very prolific crop when ten, twelve and fifteen 

 years old. I have done it many times, and they were all 

 right. The cabbage seed will not produce so large a foliage 

 three or four years old as it will one, but will produce a bet- 

 ter head. So will lettuce seed. There is only one really that 

 we have to throw away when we have any left, and that is 

 the parsnip seed. The carrot seed will not run to so much 

 stalk after two or three years old, but is good to five or six. 

 There are many seeds that work in that way, and the seeds- 

 men know what the stocks are. They have had them from 

 year to year, and those who intend to carry them all the time 

 know just what they are selling. 



Mr. Tracy. I think it is very desirable that our market 

 gardeners come into more intimate and confidential relations 

 with the seedsmen. You can get seed from various seedsmen, 



