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SEEDS A AD SEED-GROWING. 



description will be of the French method, and from our 

 own observation. One of the principal sections of the 

 radish-seed industry of France is in the department of 

 Manche, in Normandy, on St. Michael Bay, although 

 great quantities are grown in the south and other sections 

 of France. As a rule, the seed is grown by small farm- 

 ers, or rather by the owners of small farms, and all the 

 work is done by hand. The plow and the cultivator are 

 strangers to the owners of these small farms, which vary 

 in extent from one to ten acres. The beds for the sow- 

 ing of the seed are prepared in February ; as early as 

 the weather will permit the seed is sown, usually by the 

 middle of the month. The soil in this section is a light 

 loam, mixed with fine sand, soil that has been reclaimed 

 from the sea since the eleventh century. This is dug 

 deep with the spade. It is by nature close and fine, 

 and when wet is very tenacious and sticky. The seed 

 beds are about four feet in width and as long as are re- 

 quired to furnish the roots for the acreage to be planted. 

 The seed is sown cross-wise in the beds, in rows about 

 six inches apart. As soon as the seed is sown the grow- 

 er prepares his field for the seed crop. On large farms 



Fig. 4. White Chinese Egg-Plant. 



the plow and harrow are used ; on small farms the spade 

 and the rake are the only tools employed. About the 

 first of June the radishes are ready for transplanting ; 

 they are thqji the proper size for table use. 



Now the important part of seed-growing commences — 

 that of selection. The roots are taken up and selected 

 with the utmost care, even throwing out every root that 



is not true to the desired type, both as regards form and 

 color. Of course, if the grower is unfaithful to his trust, 



Fig. 3. Long Violet Egg-Plant. 



he will reset every root ; but if any are to be discarded, 

 it will be such as show a tendency to deteriorate, and 

 such invariably produce the most seed The leading 

 seed houses in Europe have their superintendents always 

 on hand to look after this part of the industry, which 

 is their only guarantee for purity of stock. They also 

 watch carefully for any variation in form or color of the 

 roots, which, like all other plants, are liable to "sport," 

 and the sports are parents of new varieties. 



The foreign seedsmen make the transplanting of the 

 roots a leading argument in the sale of their stocks, inti- 

 mating that those who sell at less than what are known as 

 standard rates sell from stocks that have not been trans- 

 planted, and consequently are not selected. The facts 

 in the case are, that all radish seed is grown from trans- 

 planted roots, and that not a grower would think of pro- 

 ducing seed by any other method, as it could not be 

 done profitably. The inferiority of seed is due wholly 

 to other causes, mainly from stocks of an inferior char- 

 acter, such as produce the most, rather than the best 

 seed. 



