108 INTENSIVE FARMING 



men handling cabbage seed in this way, one 

 who grows asparagus roots from carefully se- 

 lected seed, a half dozen who grow selected 

 onion seed, one who is selecting beets, and a 

 few greenhouse growers who select their own 

 lettuce and cucumber seed. 



The seed industry is the basis of all successful 

 market gardening and truck farming. Thous- 

 ands of dollars are expended in the erection of 

 greenhouses and forcing plants and in the equip- 

 ment of farms and gardens for growing vege- 

 tables from seed the grower knows nothing 

 about. It is strange that people will risk equip- 

 ment, labor, and skill in attempting to produce 

 high-grade products from nondescript seed. 

 Yet this is the general practice among truck 

 farmers. 



The success attained by such men as W. W. 

 Rawson with special cucumber seed, by Mr. 

 Hittinger with the Belmont Forcing lettuce, by 

 Mr. Davis with the Grand Rapids Forcing let- 

 tuce, and of the Senior Livingston in the breed- 

 ing of tomatoes, should be a sufficient guarantee 

 to justify persons with a love for such work 

 devoting their time and energies to it. To suc- 

 ceed one must understand the peculiarities of 

 the crop. Have a suitable location, soil, and 

 climate and know the market demands, and if 



