HQ PACIFIC STATES FLORAL CONGRESS. 



CALIFORNIA SEED INDUSTRY. 



BY WALDO ROHNERT. 



Few people realize the immensity of the culture of seeds-in the state 

 of California. From a very small beginning, twenty-five years ago, only 

 utilizing a few acres of land, enough to supply a small local demand, 

 this industry has grown to one of the most important in the state, 

 utilizing at the present between fifteen to twenty thousand acres, not 

 only supplying the demand for the United States, but shipping its 

 product to seed centers in foreign lands. 



This industry has increased from the growing of a few varieties, 

 such as onion and lettuce seed, to nearly the whole list of vegetable and 

 flower seeds found in the seedman's catalogue. It has surely kept pace 

 with other industries of this state. 



During the visit in 1892 of Peter Henderson, who was considered 

 one of the leading lights and authorities on all horticultural matters 

 pertaining to the culture of flowers and vegetables, he said : "I am cer- 

 tain that California, before fifty years, will be the great seed and bulb- 

 growing country of the world. You have the exact conditions of 

 climate necessary to grow seeds," etc. This statement is verified by all 

 horticultural authorities who visit our state. 



Truly in a land of sunshine and flowers, possessing a climate vary- 

 ing from the warmth of the tropics to the coldness of the Arctic, with 

 the soil ranging from the lightest and warmest sands to the heaviest 

 adobe, are locations which possess conditions peculiar to the full devel- 

 opment of all flower and vegetable seeds. 



Since seed-growing has given to the state one of its principal indus- 

 tries, California is now the Mecca of all seed buyers of the United 

 States. During the growing season, when the vegetables and flowers 

 are resplendent with the wealth and variety of color, the seed planta- 

 tions are inspected by representatives of the largest eastern seed houses. 

 The principal causes for the growth of this business are due to its 

 various climate, its rich soils, and moisture. The climate of California 

 is especially adapted to the full development of all seeds, for the reason 

 that the plants are not subjected to the extremes of temperature. The 

 warm, bright days, with the cool, moist nights, produce a growth that 

 is somewhat slow but conducive to health and vigor, without which 

 heavy, plump seed could not be developed. Nearly uniform temper- 

 ature being desirable, all seed farms are located in valleys open to or 

 near the Pacific Ocean. This gives to all plant growth the benefit 

 derived from the westerly winds, which vary little in temperature. 

 These winds are modified by the amount of water they carry, and conse- 



