General Notices. 551 



of which bore more than an acre of any other sort. Thousands and tens of 

 thousands were sold all over the country at $1 or more a dozen, and we 

 doubt whether any man ever kept a single plant after it had once fruited. 



However, it is of no use to offer any advice ; so many people have got tlie 

 idea into their head that nurserymen make seventy-five cents on every fifty 

 cents worth they sell, that they prefer to pay double prices, and get half 

 their money's worth, rather than deal with such sharpers and get the full 

 value of what they buy. 



So it is with seedsmen. A purchaser buys a paper of cabbage for four- 

 pence ; when, perhaps, the established seedsmen would charge ninepence ; 

 well, what is the result ? In one case, only half of the seeds vegetate, and 

 the otlier half are mixed sorts ; in the other he has a full crop of fine plants. 

 Now a package of seeds will give at least one hundred heads, worth $6; so 

 that in trying to save six cents the purchaser loses $'3 or $4. 



Experience dearly bought is the best, and perhaps the evil will cure itself 

 in time : — 



*' That there is a good deal of humbug in the London seed trade cannot 

 be denied ; but it is as notorious that the public have, in a great measure, 

 been the cause of it, and their indiscriminate love of quantity for money has 

 brought it all upon themselves. The thirst for low prices has caused a 

 most unwholesome competition. A scamp sets up for cheap selling, adver- 

 tises retail seeds at less than he must pay wholesale to procure them him- 

 self. Common sense tells us that there are only two ways to do this ; one 

 by adulteration, the other by cheating his creditors. He must cheat some- 

 body, either those he buys of, or those he sells to must be taken in. Yet 

 such is the rage for cheap things that thousands encourage the cheap seller. 

 The fair tradesmen see the ground slipping away from under their feet ; 

 they must either meet the public or lose their business. If none but sensi- 

 ble persons purchased seeds it would be no trouble to show them that they 

 were duped by the cheap sellers ; but it is not so: a vast majority do not 

 know a good seed from a bad one, and nobody but the raiser can know the 

 sort, that is, the particular variety, nor whether it be true or otherwise. 

 The most respectable houses, where every precaution is used, are occasion- 

 ally deceived. They may know the sample is good and in good condition, 

 but although every seed may grow they may be far from true to the sort 

 they buy it for; in which case it is worthless, and every ounce they sell in- 

 jures their trade. The best seedsmen send their own seeds to be grown by 

 regular seed-growers, and pay tliem so much per quarter, or bushel, or ton, 

 as the case may be, for all they can produce from that seed. There are 

 seed growers who, judging what will pay them best, will grow on their own 

 account; but having established a reputation and a connection, they have 

 no difficulty in finding a market among those who know them. But of what 

 use is seed that can only be bought at a full price to compote with the cheap 

 shops ? It is to be regretted that in an article which tells no tales as to its 

 quality for months, the public should be so careless. Every man who has a 

 shilling to spend should have the moral courage to deal with first-rate 

 houses, and be content to pay a first-rate price for a first-rate article, be- 



