38 



The Florists^ Review 



Mabch 13, 1013. 



a tremendous lot to the carrying of the 

 crop till harvest time. 



"Of course, there are weeds in Cali- 

 fornia, too, and there is much hoeing 

 to be done. It is comforting to know, 

 however, that after hoeing has been 

 done in April there is little chance of 

 mftre rain coming to start a fresh crop 

 of weeds. Consequently a seed farm in 

 California during summer has always a 

 clean, tidy appearance. 



"This brings me to the labor ques- 

 tion. This is one of the biggest items 

 with Californian seed growers. Many 

 people imagine that there are plenty of 

 Chinamen to be had at a cheap rate to 

 do hoeing and unskilled work on the 

 ranches. Years ago this may have been 

 the case, but now it is getting almost 

 impossible to get sufficient help during 

 hoeing and harvesting seasons. The 

 Chinamen are no longer allowed to come 

 into the state and the white man does 

 not seem to care for laboring on a 

 ranch. Seed growers are getting anx- 

 ious as to the outcome. Last year the 

 common laborer, whether Chinaman, 

 Japanese or Hindoo, had to have his 

 $2.25 a day. Even at that money they 

 were hard to get and one had to travel 

 the country to make up the number, 

 and then they had to have their railway 

 fare paid. It may be that the opening 

 of the Panama canal will bring about a 

 solution of the labor question for the 

 8e6d grower and fruit grower. 



"Yet, in spite of these difficulties, 

 California is the greatest country in the 

 world for the production of first-class 

 seeds. It is a splendid country to work 

 in' and when the difficulties have been 

 surmounted and the plants are well 

 under way, the grower has the great 

 consolation that he will have results 



• superior in ouality to any other coun- 



• try. The seeds grown in California 

 stand alone for high vitality and be- 



'. fore many years have passed Califor- 

 nian seeds will have a name unques- 

 tioned the world over, Most of the 

 growers, are striving after, and I can 

 say have attained in numerous in- 

 stances, perfection in quality. It is not 

 to be wondered at, then, that the Cali- 

 fornian seed grower is proud of his 

 state and the achievements it has en- 

 abled him to attain." 



LOS ANGELES SEED NOTES. 



- John Bodger, Jr., returned March 3 

 from a successful eastern trip and re- 

 ports a most enjoyable time except for 

 a few days when laid up with pleurisy, 

 at Detroit. He says he h greatly 

 pleiased with the progress of the sweet 

 peas in his absence. There are 400 



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