FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



In the way of Cucumbers, the Improved White Spine and New Orleans Market are the best 

 varieties, as they bear abundantlj^ keep their color better, and are superior for shipping to any 

 other. I have been supplying the largest growers in this vicinity in that line with seed, the 

 stock of which cannot be surpassed in quality. Of Beets only the dark red Blood Turnip or the 

 Egyptian should be planted for shipping purposes. The Egyptian is a very quick growing 

 variety, and should not be sown quite so early as the Blood Turnip, which ought to be sown in 

 September and October; for the former variety, January is time enough. 



For Tomatoes, the Extra Early Dwarf comes in bearing first, but should be planted only 

 for the first crop, as when large varieties come in the market, the former do not sell as well. 

 Great improvements have been made of late years in Tomatoes; the varieties raised and intro- 

 duced by Livingston's Sons are perfect, and hardly any improvement can be made on such 

 varieties as the Paragon, Favorite, Acme and Beauty. New Orleans is not a good point to ship 

 Tomatoes from as they hardly ever arrive at destination in good condition. Along the Jackson 

 K. K., where the land is more sandy, a better article is raised for shipping. Lettuce is shipped 

 quite extensively; the New Orleans Improved Passion is used principally for that purpose. 



Potatoes and Onions are shipped in large quantities, but the former are very uncertain in 

 regard to prices. Owing to the late frost 28th of February and 1st of March, all tender vegeta- 

 bles were killed. Early planted potatoes cut to the ground, when the vines were already too 

 large, they did not sprout again, and therefore had to be dug; the yield was poor and quality 

 also, but they brought good prices. Potatoes j ust planted before the freeze and shortly after 

 produced very fine tubers and large crops, the largest ever made in Louisiana; but as the acre- 

 age was small, owing to the scarcity of seed, the quantity was not so large. The fluctuation in 

 price was remarkable, from $6.00 per bbl. they went down to $2.50 within three weeks, but did 

 not stop there, they came down as low as a dollar, during the latter part of May. From there 

 towards the end of the x)otato season, they went up again and sold as high as $4.00 per barrel, 

 when Western potatoes shipped here could be bought as low as $3.00 per bbl. The frost of 

 March the 1st ruined the Onions, most of them took the blight. Very few good lots came to 

 the market, these brought high prices; the majority, however, were very poor and had to be 

 sold low. The same frost ruined the crop of Cj-eole Onion Seed; there was but very little made. 

 My growers failed entirely, they did not make a pound. Onions will be a scarce article next 

 Spring. I have imported some genuine seed from "■Bermuda," 'which is the next best to the 

 Creole. The Italian varieties have not given any satisfaction in my trials; they are only good 

 when they can be sold bunched. This failure of the Creole Onion Seed is a heavy loss to the 

 truck farmers and gardeners, as we raise and ship thousands of barrels. 



The Cabbage crop was good, the best made for years, and sold at remunerative prices, both 

 Fall and Spring crop. For Fall we use the Superior Flat Dutch and a small percentage of 

 earlier varieties, such as Brunswick, Early Summer, Early Flat Dutch and Early Drumhead. 

 For Spring, Improved Early Summer and Brunswick are used almost exclusively. The surest 

 way is to sow the seeds during November in cold frames or in at least a sheltered j^lace, where 

 they can be protected from cold in case of necessity. — Beets and Cucumbers paid well, that is 

 the latter raised in frames. Those grown in the open ground turned out very poorly. — Peas did 

 not pay, they were frozen by the 1st of March, just as they commenced to bear, those planted 

 after that date came too late for shipping. Same thing with the beans; they were cut down by 

 the same frost. Large quantities were planted immediately after, consequently beans came all 

 at one time, rather late already in the season. The shipping season was short; there are too 

 many raised here for home consumption. 



The Muvsk Melon crop, a very important one for here, was almost a complete failure. The 

 Osage Melon, so highly prized in the West, did worse than the New Orleans Market Melon. — 

 Tomatoes paid well. — Of late a good rhany Eggplants are shipped; they have paid well; for this 

 purpose I recommend the Nev/ Orleans Market variety which stands the heat well and the fruit 

 carries better when shipped than the New York Market. The kind we cultivate here is oblong, 

 dark purple; perfectly thornless on the stems and leaves. — Eadishes for shipping are raised con- 

 siderably. The Long Scarlet short top is used for that purpose. 



Gardeners and others who contemplate raising vegetables for shipping, are invited to give 

 me a call. From the fact that all staple articles are raised for me by contract, in such sections 

 best suited to mature the varieties we need for our climate, and the interest I take in the seed 

 business, coupled with a thorough knowledge of same, enables me to assist in making selections 

 of seeds for the purpose. The interest of my customers and mine are identical. My stock is 

 the best selected and largest in the South. 



I receive a good many letters which are plainly enough written, except the signature. To 

 insure prompt tilling of orders, I ask all customers and others . writing to me, to write their 

 names plainly; at the same time, never fail to give the name of the nearest Post Office. Also, 

 write out the order in columns, not in the body of the letter. Some letters came in ^\'ithout 

 any signature ; when the Post Office was properly given, I returned the letter to the Post Master 

 of that place, and in some instances have traced up the writer in that way. 



