SEE0-TISIE km HABVEST. 
11 
Regarding depth of planting corn, from 
one-fourth inch to eight inches, of 228 ker¬ 
nels planted at each depth, at one-fourth 
inch 130 grew; at one inch 149; at two 
inches 148; at three inches 135, when it fell 
proportionately to 36 at eight inches. When 
harvested there was little difference in the 
yield of sound corn from one, two, and 
three inches depth. 
The lines of distinction between Early 
Blood Turnip, Dewing’s Early Blood Tur¬ 
nip, Improved Early Blood Turnip, Bas- 
tian’s Early Blood Turnip, Hatche’s Blood 
Turnip, and Simon’s Early Beets, are ex¬ 
tremely obscure. 
But little distinction was noticeable in 
many so called varieties of Parsnips planted. 
Our observations would reduce the number 
of varieties to three: LoDg White Dutch, 
Hollow Crowned, and Round or Tnrnip 
Rooted and all samples tested although 
under many different names, properly be¬ 
long to one or another of these three classes. 
Attention is called to the objectionable 
features of the multiplication of synonyms 
in seed catalogues. Thus in the catalogues 
of eight extensive seedsmen, one variety of 
cucumbers is found under as many varia¬ 
tions of name. Such a use of names tends 
to reduce vegetable nomenclature to a 
farce, and such a revision of names as has 
recently taken place in pomology is strongly 
advised. It will probably receive the atten¬ 
tion it deserves at the next meeting of the 
American Seed Trade Association. 
Shaker Seeds. 
There are two distinct societies of Shakers 
in New York State engaged in the seed 
business. One is located seven miles north¬ 
west of Albany at Shakers Post Office, the 
other in Columbia Co., near the Mass., 
state line. They there own about 3000 acres 
of land in one body, a large part of it being- 
in Massachusetts, although the village, Mt. 
Lebanon, is in New York State. Mr. Chas. 
Sizer who formerly managed the seed de¬ 
partment is dead, and Mr. Wm, Anderson 
who succeeded him has retired from it to 
devote liis attention to other work. 
Seed Sowing. 
BY WM. SAUNDERS, HORTICULTURIST OF THE 
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Whether it is best for farmers and gar¬ 
deners to save their own seed or make year¬ 
ly purchases, depends very much upon cir¬ 
cumstances, or, rather, upon the particular 
kind of seeds in question and the manner 
of saving them. Seed-raising is a business 
which requires skill in culture, and great 
discriminating knowledge, which can only 
be acquired by observant practice. 
As a general rule it is cheaper, in the 
long run, to buy seeds than to attempt to 
save them; this remark applies with great¬ 
er force to the seeds e-f improved varieties 
than to species which are reproduced with 
more certainty from seeds. It is one of the 
great arts in seed-iaising to keep varieties 
true to their descriptive peculiarities, and 
with some kinds of seeds this requires an 
amount of attention and labor of which the 
majority of those who purchase seeds have 
but a faint conception. 
As an example, we will specify the cab¬ 
bage; and, in the first place, we would re¬ 
mark that it is now held that cabbage seed 
raised near the sea coast is always better 
than that raised inland; so confident of 
this are the market gardeners around this 
city that they endeavor to procure their 
early cabbage seed from growers on the 
ocean side of Long Island. 
The seed raiser is, as a matter of course, 
very careful as to the seeds he sows for his 
cabbage crop; but in order that any variety 
should be maintained as near to its per¬ 
fection as possible,, the crop is carefully in¬ 
spected after the plants have headed, and 
all those that do not come up to the perfect 
standard in regard to compactness, size, 
shape and time of heading, are destroyed, 
and onty those which pass inspection are 
retained. 
The seed dealer who acquires a reputa¬ 
tion for care and accuracy in this matter 
can sell his seed at highly remunerative 
prices, which be double the amount asked 
by others for the same variety, but which 
has been carelessly and indiscriminately 
saved. Varieties must always be grown 
very widely apart for seed, for, so far as 
