HERB AND FLOWER SEEDS. 95 



European success in the production of high-grade flower 

 and other seeds. It is not owing to superiority in cli- 

 mate or soil, inasmuch as we have as good, if not better, 

 in our own country; but it is due rather to careful 

 methods in growing, i. e. , the most particular attention 

 that is given in Europe to cultivation, to keeping varie- 

 ties pure by selection and separation, and to an unceas- 

 ing endeavor to improve varieties. In other words, 

 these European growers, besides being trained special- 

 ists in their respective lines, are methodical and de- 

 liberate in performance, conscientious and careful to 

 the superlative degree; points which will always place 

 seed growers of any country in the front rank. And if 

 these same careful practices of the Europeans were gen- 

 erally adopted in the United States, it should be only a 

 question of time when importations here would cease 

 entirely. 



Production in the United States. Seeds of cer- 

 tain special varieties of flowers are grown commercially, 

 on a small scale, in some of the Eastern States, but 

 California produces about all the flower seeds grown in 

 the United States. While in a certain sense this latter 

 production is quite large, it is confined mostly to coarser 

 strains of popular varieties which, however, are the 

 equal of European seeds of the same class. 



In California, about five hundred acres are devoted 

 to flowering sweet peas alone, the total annual produc- 

 tion of same approximating 350,000 pounds or about 

 seven hundred pounds per acre, at prices to the grower 

 of eight to ten cents per pound. In the same State, 

 flowering nasturtiums yield about 300 pounds per acre, 

 at prices which rule from 25 to 30 cents per pound to 

 the grower; asters about 40 pounds per acre, at $2.50 

 to $5.00 per pound to the grower. 



