58 VEGETABLE GARDENING. 



tain particular crops that some varieties seem to lose nothing 

 of their pristine vigor and productiveness when grown there for 

 many years, or they may be greatly improved in such locations; 

 but, as a rule it is a good plan to change seed occasionally and 

 it often results in increased productiveness. This sems to be 

 a fact while the reason for it is not so plain. 



Stock Seed. — When seed raising is a large business it is 

 out of the question to have all the specimens planted, perfect 

 in every respect, but nothing should be planted except it is near 

 the desired type. Each year enough perfect specimens, or those 

 closely approximating perfection, should be selected to raise the 

 seed for the grower's use the following season. In this way the 

 quality of the grower's seed stock is kept up and without such 

 care the stock of seed is liable to seriously deteriorate. Seed 

 so selected and improved from year to year is termed stock 

 seed. 



Seedsmen's Specialties. — Most seed growers and dealers have 

 some few kinds of seed in which they are especially interested. 

 These they select with more than ordinary care. It is always 

 desirable to order seed of our specialties from those making 

 a specialty of our favorite kinds unless we raise them ourselves. 

 To secure the best it is well to order early in the season. 



Seedsmen's Humbugs. — Almost without exception every 

 dealer in seeds sells humbugs, that is, worthless or very inferior 

 varieties. If he is honest he offers them simply because his 

 customers want them. If he is dishonest he is very apt to mis- 

 represent and praise them in order to make customers pay a big 

 profit. 



Novelties. — It is desirable to test novelties in seeds and 

 plants, but this should be done cautiously and, as a rule, it is 

 best not to be in too great haste to try new things. It is the 

 general experience of growers that not more than one in ten 

 of the novelties in seeds, fruits and plants is any better than 

 those generally cultivated. In the history of the Minnesota 

 Experiment Station the average of desirable seed novelties has 

 been even less than this. 



THE DEVELOPMENT OF VARIETIES. 

 There are laws that govern heredity and descent in plants 



