The Growing of Seeds 405 



approach it; his stock must be uniform. As soon as the 

 " roguing " or selection is neglected, or when new notions 

 are introduced, the varietal characteristics tend to disap- 

 pear or to change. 



Seed-growing. 



Experience has demonstrated that certain soils and cli- 

 mates produce the best seeds of certain species. No longer 

 are all kinds of seeds grown indiscriminately in one place 

 or merely where they will mature. The price of labor 

 is an important factor. Seeds that require much care 

 and trouble in the growing are raised, if possible, where 

 labor is most abundant and cheap. It is no accident that 

 radish seeds are grown in France, and lima beans in Cali- 

 fornia. 



Only when a man is making a specialty of some vege- 

 table, and lives in the place in which the seeds can be 

 produced most advantageously, or is under the necessity 

 of developing a kind or strain of his own, can he afford 

 to grow his seeds ; and even then it is a question whether 

 it would not be better and cheaper to delegate the busi- 

 ness. The man who desires to secure the very best results 

 in the growing of some specialty should know where his 

 seeds are grown, particularly if his business success de- 

 pends on the crop in question. 



When one is engaged in a high-class vegetable-growing 

 business one should not buy seed indiscriminately in the 

 general market. There are particular strains of leading 

 varieties of vegetables which are better for certain mar- 

 kets and conditions, These strains are likely to be most 



