284 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



people are fed ? It may not at first sight appear clear that 

 there can be any very close relationship between the feeding of 

 a people and the question you expect me to speak upon — namely, 

 Seed-growing. As we dip, however, a little deeper into what 

 might be termed a rather capacious subject we shall find that 

 there are few industries — for seed-growing is an industry — 

 so intimately connected with human welfare, if we consider 

 health and pleasure to be of primary importance. A recent 

 writer in the " Journal of Horticulture " says, " The garden con- 

 tributes enormously to the necessities of life." The plentiful use 

 of vegetable products is always looked upon as one of the safe- 

 guards of health ; and may not those floral treasures also 

 which cheer and beautify the home have a similar elevating 

 tendency ? 



It is hardly possible for us to realise the enormous amount 

 of vegetable and floral produce that passes through the markets 

 of our great towns every year ; but, even were we in possession of 

 that information, to get the sum total we must add the private 

 supplies of the gardens of the cottage and the hall. The figures, 

 if we did get them, would be simply bewildering, and yet perhaps 

 ninety per cent, of all this is the direct produce of seeds — most 

 of the remainder may be described as indirect — hence the 

 interest all may or ought to have in the production of seeds. 

 And why ? Because every one wishes — or should wish — to have 

 the best vegetables and the best flowers— vegetables of the 

 highest nutritive value and of the finest flavour, flowers of the 

 most perfect form, colour, and sweetness. These things can 

 only be obtained from the very best strains of seeds, which in 

 their turn can only be secured by a process of seed-growing to 

 which it is my purpose to refer. 



Seed-growing has, no doubt, been carried on in a way, in all 

 ages of the world and amongst most nations ; but it is only 

 when it comes into close contact with civilisation that it appears 

 as a work of acknowledged importance. It is a notable fact 

 that the taste for a garden and its produce is more and more 

 marked as we rise in the standard of refinement. To meet the 

 demands of our own country alone, extensive breadths at home, 

 on the Continent, and in America are annually devoted to the 

 production of seeds, and each distinctive climate or soil excels in 

 the raising of some particular varieties. The extent of the 



