THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
March 2 
184 
NOTES FROM THE RURAL GROUNDS 
The 1907 Catalogues. —The seed and 
plant catalogues for the current season 
are nearly all in, and with very few 
exceptions show increased neatness and 
accuracy in make-up and contents. Gaudy 
colored plates are conspicuously absent— 
not altogether by reason of good judg¬ 
ment on the part of the publishers, but 
principally because of the long-lasting 
and still unsettled lithographers’ strike, 
that effectually held up color-plate pro¬ 
duction at the necessary season. In their 
place we have some excellent examples 
of color press work and direct color 
photographic work, _ but the great ma¬ 
jority of special illustrations are in 
black and white. Colored covers are not 
lacking but generally are more restrained 
and decorative than in the past. The sub¬ 
stitution of accurate photographic repro¬ 
ductions of flowers, fruits and plants for 
the old misleading woodcuts gives an air 
of sincerity to many catalogues that was 
formerly lacking, but every “half-tone” is 
not directly made from the object repre¬ 
sented. This process reproduces as well 
from wash drawings which may show the 
subject, not as nature produced it, but as 
the artist conceives it should have grown! 
Little exaggeration, however, is indulged 
in except in the cases of a few incorrig- 
able offenders, whose customers must 
certainly be accustomed to discount the 
claims heavily. The catalogues on the 
whole present such good appearance that 
the colored lithograph as an important 
pictorial feature may be largely dis- 
important feature may be largely dis¬ 
continued in the future. Comparatively 
few novelties are offered in the more re¬ 
liable catalogues, and a still smaller num¬ 
ber are exploited with emphasis, the im¬ 
pression produced being that many are 
listed for legitimate trial, rather than 
for speculative plunging. A similar re¬ 
straint is creeping by degrees into the 
descriptive matter, transforming seed and 
nursery catalogues, acknowledged adver¬ 
tisements as they are, into reliable and 
intelligent cultivator knows this so well 
that he will never be long deprived of 
the publications issued by his favorite 
dealer. 
Free Government Seeds Again.— 
Despite the combined efforts of the 
associated seedsmen, the greater part of 
the rural press, about all progressive 
farmers and gardeners and the National 
Department of Agriculture itself, to 
abate the almost useless Congressional 
free seed distribution, it flourishes as 
triumphantly as ever, and will doubtless 
continue next year, as the regular appro¬ 
priation of $238,000 has already been 
adopted by the House of Representatives, 
and it has little to fear from the Senate. 
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson tried to 
have this appropriation, or at least a rea¬ 
sonable part of it, diverted from the pur¬ 
chase and distribution of common garden 
seeds, for which there is no actual war¬ 
rant, in law, and applied to the original 
purpose of introducing new and rare 
seeds and plants, but the Solons would 
have none of it, the southern members 
being particularly clamorous for con¬ 
tinuing the free seed hand-outs to their 
constituents, averring they could not face 
the farmers, after boosting their own 
salaries, without the customary gift of 
seeds. The debate over the matter occu¬ 
pies over 20 pages of the Congressional 
Record and affords a precious example 
of the density of mind and general in¬ 
capacity of many congressmen now 
misrepresenting rural constituencies. 
Not a Serious Matter. —Our com¬ 
mercial seedsman have labored long and 
earnestly and have wasted no little time 
and eloquence in vain to demonstrate the 
error of the present method to these 
obtuse lawmakers, and end what is freely 
termed the contemptibly petty graft of 
free seeds that have long ceased to be 
wanted by real tillers of the soil. Some 
declare they will cease the fight, and 
others base hopes on the possibility of 
a more intelligent lot of members getting 
in the next Ho..se or at some future elec¬ 
tion, and summarily ending the matter. 
Persistence mav in the end win, particu¬ 
larly as the sentiment against the present 
ineffective distribution is constantly grow¬ 
ing everywhere, both within and without 
the halls of Congress. Meanwhile the 
distribution itself as now conducted, is 
really of small moment to established 
seedsmen from a financial standpoint. 
Thirty carloads of cheap seeds made up 
into 8,000,000 allotments of five packets 
each appears formidable on first thought, 
but the actual distribution is done in such 
a blundering way, the seeds largely going 
to political leaders and triflers who are 
ever ready to demand a free ‘“hand-out” 
whether they have need for it or not, 
rather than to real farmers and gardeners 
who often disdain to plant them when 
received, that they make but little im¬ 
pression on the dealers’ annual trade. 
Thousands of packets are thrown aside 
or destroyed in every Congressional dis¬ 
trict. The recipient in the Northern 
States who plants these seeds in good 
faith is a rarity, and generally an ignor¬ 
amus in horticulture. The present form 
of Government distribution appear to be 
only taken seriously by the backwoods 
politicians of the South, or by absolutely 
uninformed gardeners who never think 
of consulting an up-to-date seed cata¬ 
logue. We must credit this misguided 
expenditure of the people’s revenue with 
a certain missionary effect, however. 
Perchance an occasional rank amateur 
who really grows his trifling allotment of 
cucumber, radish and turnip seeds be¬ 
stowed by the condescending favor of his 
Congressman, may be led to enlarge his 
views and buy something worth while 
from his near-by seed-dealer. The free 
distribution is not all loss to seed mer¬ 
chants, even in the present inept way of 
conducting it, but the seed trade gener¬ 
ally should relax no legitimate effort to 
lift it to a higher plane. 
Keen Competition With Farm 
Papers. —While considering their own 
grievance and manfully working to abate 
its present objectionable features, seeds¬ 
men should not overlook the very sharp 
competition the American rural press un¬ 
dergoes with the overpowering output of 
the National Department of Agriculture, 
the greatest fount of rural information 
on earth, with its distribution last year, 
either free or at less than cost of print¬ 
ing, of 13,000,000 copies of 1,171 publi¬ 
cations, that bound together would make 
a mighty volume of 51,986 pages, together 
with the uncomputed numbers of free 
bulletins sent out by the fifty-odd State 
and territorial experiment stations situ¬ 
ated in every part of our broad country. 
The total circulation of all the farm, 
garden and stock papers published in the 
United States, probably does not equal 
the annual issue of hooks, pamphlets, leaf¬ 
lets and bulletins from these combined 
sources, nearly all of which may be had 
for the asking. The rural press has not 
generally complained of this keen com¬ 
petition, accepting it in a large way as of 
greater benefit than detriment, in that it 
creates desire for accurate working infor¬ 
mation for everyday practical use. The 
periodicals having to do with country life 
that are really worth while have all sur¬ 
vived the inundation of free official farm 
literature, and continue to extend their 
influences. They are not likely to regis¬ 
ter objection to the continued issue of 
Governmental literature bearing on rural 
subjects as long as it is confined to its 
legitimate purpose of disseminating the 
results of scientific research, and original 
investigation, but there are to be noticed 
tendencies to trench on the field of prac¬ 
tical agricultural journalism that may 
cause trouble in the future. The public 
never willingly relinquishes the benefits 
of any really useful government activity 
and will surely hold on to seed distribu¬ 
tion and the issue of official agricultural 
literature, but it may in the end insist 
that they may be kept within proper 
bounds. w. v. f. 
ERRYS 
prove their worth at harvest 
time. After over fifty years of 
success, they are pronounced 
the best and surest by careful 
planters everywhere. Your 
dealer sells them. 1907 Seed 
Annual free on request. 
D. M. FERRY &, CO., Detroit, Ulcb. 
FROM KENTUCKY, THE CENTER 
OF PRODUCTION. 
Our celebrated “Blue Ribbon’’Grass,Clov 
J er and Farm Seeds are the finest selected 1 
I relceaned stocks and cost you less than 1 
many Inferior grades. 
>u Save Money St i 
I and best producers, and our free seed book con- 
/ talning special Information on “Successful Grass! 
1 Growing ” tells you how to prepare, sow, and I 
! obtain big crops. Our complete Seed Catalog! 
sent free If you mention this paper. Write today. 1 
Wood, Stubbs & Co., Seedsmen, Louisville, Ky. 
EVERY GARDENER 
SHOULD WRITE 
FOR THIS BOOK: 
Dreer’s 
,-Garden Book 
I TS 224 profusely illustrated pages 
are devoted to what to plant, how 
to plant and when to plant all 
kinds of vegetables, flowers and hardy 
perennials. No other book on this 
subject is so lucid and practical. It’s 
the professional gardener’s ready refer¬ 
ence guide book and a regular bureau 
of information to the amateur. Remem¬ 
ber, it’s not merely a price list of 
Dreer’s famous seeds but a useful 
cyclopaedia of facts on gardening de¬ 
veloped by experts on our trial grounds 
at Riverton, N. J. 
Has four magnificent color plates 
and hundreds of other illustrations 
showing actual specimens of the varie¬ 
ties described. 
Mailed to anyone mentioning this 
publication on receipt of 10 cents, 
which may he deducted from first 
order. 
Henry A. Dreer, 
PHILADELPHIA. 
J 
Hollyhocks 
JUVERYBODY should 
have Hollyhocks. 
Though not generally 
known, there has been 
as great improvement 
made in this stately 
flower, during the past 
25 years, as there has 
in the Canna, Chrysan¬ 
themum, Dahlia or Car¬ 
nation. The flowers of 
Lovett’s Superb Hollyhocks 
are not only very large, wonderfully perfect in 
finish and pure in color, but they are produced 
in far greater numbers and for a much longer 
season than the Hollyhocks of "Grandmother’s 
Garden.” Strong roots which will flower early 
the first season, by mail. 
Separata Colora, - 8 lor!SI.OO; SO for SS.OO 
All Colora Mixed, lO for 81.00; SO for 84.00 
Single Hollyhocka, 10 for 81.00; 50 for 84.00 
All are fully described, together with more 
than 1,000 varieties of other beautiful hardy 
flowers, in my catalog of Hardy Perennial 
Plants; a profusely illustrated, elegant book of 
70 pages, replete with valuable information 
about hardy flowers. It is free to all. 
J. T. LOVETT, Little Silver, N. J. 
My new way of selling seed* saves you all 
the trouble, worry and risk ot making your 
own selections. It gives you the finest varie¬ 
ties of each vegetable and flower, that repre¬ 
sent my 25 years’ practical experience and 
thousands of experiments at my Floracroft 
Trial Grounds—the very seeds you would 
select if you had studied gardening for years. 
“STOKES’ STANDARD” 
Second-Early Sugar Corn 
Marketable a week after the “Earliest” and 
has largest ears—10 or 12 rows of large, deep, 
white, milky, extremely tendergrains. Sweet 
and with the rich flavor of late varieties. 
% pt. 10e.; pt. 20e.; qt. 80e.; 4 qts. 85e. Postpaid. 
My 1907 catalogue shows actual photo¬ 
graphs of what my seeds have produced and 
tells you how to get the same results. Write 
for it and also tell me your garden problems. 
I can help you solve them. 
STOKES' SEED STORE 
Walter P. Stokes, of late Tohnson & Stokes 
219 Market Street, Philadelphia 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you'll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See guarantee. 
GREGORY'S 
P SEEDS 
■■ pi ■■ Our catalog is rich with 
L CJ L L information for the 
^ ■''A guidance of farmers 
| I ■■ and gardeners. It has 
been a great help to 
thousands—has been the means of turning 
many a failure into success. 
The great variety of vegetable and flower 
seeds include the best of the old standard 
and such new kinds as have proved 
- X of value by actual test. 
j. j. h. GREGORY & SON. 
Marblehead, Mass. 
Solde’ear or shelled. All 
graded, tested, proven—then 
guaranteed. No better at 
any price. Test it in your 
M routing box. If you don’t 
e it -fire it back. You’ll 
get your money back double 
quick. “Guaranteed-pure” 
Clover seed. Garden seeds 
that will really grow. Cata¬ 
logue and samples free. 
HENRY FIELD, SEEDSMAN. 
I0X 26, SHENANDOAH. IOWA. 
■ | p ■ | p ■ —Best seed for sale. Write 
A I r A I r A forsamples,prices,andFREE 
*■ I PM k I PM directions “23” on growing. 
J, E, Wing & Bros., Bon 23, 
1,000 Bn. Big4 Oats, 55 cts. per bm; spelts 75 
Cts.; 
.; Early Whitecap Corn, $1. Bags free. 
J. S. TILTON, Norwalk, O. 
OATS 
Sensation—123 bu. per acre. It’s a win¬ 
ner. Also Seed Corn. Samples and cata¬ 
logue free. Theo. Burt & Sous,Melrose,Ohio 
Our 1907 
Catalogue 
has a complete 
list of 
HIGHEST GRADE 
SEEDS 
Thoroughly tested and of known 
vitality. We make special mention 
of the most popular varieties for a 
home garden or a marke gardener. 
It also contains the latest novelties 
and a complete list of Poultry Sup¬ 
plies, Maudy Lee Incubator* and 
Sundries for the Garden. We mail 
this Catalogue free. 
H. E. FISKE SEED CO., 
X2 and 13 Faneuil Ilall Square, 
Boston, Mass. 
A BIG GARDEN 
The year of 1906 was one of prodigal plenty on ourJ 
L seed farms. Never before diavege- *A 
table and farm seeds return such 
enormous yields. 
Now we wish to gain 200,000 new 
customers this year and hence otter 
for 12c postpaid 
1 pkg. Garden City Beet • - 10« 
1 “ Earliest Ripe Cabbage • lOe 
1 “ Earl’t Emerald Cucumber 15o 
1 “ I,a Crosse Market Lettuee 15c 
I “ 13 Bar Radish - • • lOe 
1 “ Blue Blood Tomato - • 15e 
1 “ Juicy Turnip .... 10c 
1000 kernels gloriously beautU 
ful flower seeds .... . 15o 
Total fToo 
Allforl2c postpaid in orderto intro¬ 
duce our warranted seeds, and if you 
will send lGc tvewilladdone package 
of Berliner Earliest Cauliflower, to¬ 
gether with our mammoth plant, 
nursery stock, vegetable and farm 
seed and tool catalog. 
This catalog is mailed free to all 
^intendingpurchasers. Write to-day. 
JOHN A. SALZER SEED CO., 
La Crosse, WIs. 
HD ACC CCtrn Seed Oats and Seed Corn, All 
U 1 IA 0 O wCCU kinds of Clover, Timothy, Blue 
Grass, Red Top, Orchard Grass and Oil Meal, old 
process, Prices and samples on application. 
U. J. COVER, Mt. Gilead, Ohio. 
CHEAP 
BES e W ©ROW*! 
__ wonderful big catalog CDCC 
Full of engravings of every ■ ■ 
| variety, with prices lower than other 
dealers’. Oldest reliable seed grower 
, in America. No old seed. All fresh. 
They will grow or will refund money. 
Big Lot Extra Packages Tree with Every Order. 
Send yours and your neighbor’s address. 
R. H. SHUMWAY, Rockford, Illinois. 
SEEDS 
SEEDS 
SEEDS 
THEILMANN’S carry a full line of ONION SEED for Sets and Large Onions We can please you. 
Send for prices and catalogue. THItLMANN SLED CO., Lrie, Ea. 
SEED REASON. LET US SHOW YOU! 
We KNOW we could sell you all your seeds if we could meet you face to face. We could show 
you the enormous difference between our expenses and that of the city seedsman, and how YOU 
get the benefit of that saving; how we make our own low prices as we belong to no combination or 
association for keeping prices up. We repeat, if we could meet you here we could show you why 
we save you about one-half of your seed money, and you would know that our present big business 
must be the result of Honest Seeds at Honest Prices. However, we can’t meet you all here, so we 
want vou to have our catalog, which talks to you face to face and tells you a lot of plain truths about 
GOOD seeds at RIGHT Prices and how to obtain all seeds at 3c a packet. It is free to everybody. 
To show you our Honest Seeds in Honest packets, we will send 
*. B. Turnip Beet E. 4. Wakefield 1 ■■ fW WORTH OF WARRANTED! |J ( H.C. Parsnip PriieBead Lettu,. 
Roek» Ford Muskmelon 1*1 III* VEGETABI.E SEEDS, Long Oranee Carrot 
CrookneckSquashRoayGemR’dlsh j J() PEGS. FOR .■ WM | Stone Tomato Sweet German Turnip 
FORREST SEED COMPANY, BOX 34, CORTLAND, NEW YORK. 
