No. 98. ] 13 
perience with ‘‘ grocery seeds,” that is the packages from boxes dis- 
tributed to be sold on commission, has been so extremely unsatisfactory 
that we are fain to believe that it is only the ignorance of the purchaser 
that retains thisabominable system of sale. ‘The purchaser who knows 
the importance of good seed avoids these commission seeds and sends 
for his annual supply directly to the seedsman, a course which is 
rendered easy through the admirable facilities furnished by our. post- 
office department and the various express companies whose lines ramify 
so extensively throughout our country. It is safe to say that the 
farmer or gardener who, from carelessness, lack of forethought ora false 
economy purchases his supply from these commission packages, in the 
end loses dollars where he saves cents; secures temporary conveni- 
ence at the expense of future tribulation. It is difficult for the average 
grower of crops to realize what experience invariably teaches, that 
cheap seed means cheap yield; that quality in seeds costs the grower 
and costs the dealer and must be paid for in the end by the purchaser; 
that high cost seeds, provided there is honesty in the growing and 
sale, are the only economical seeds to buy. ‘The Station work in 
future years will probably prove the truth of these statements gathered 
from our common, as well as this year’s experience, and will show the 
seedsmen and the public the economy and desirability of supplies of 
** pedigree seed ” furnished and purchased at an advanced price over 
ordinary good or ordinary seeds of sale and use. In the report of the 
horticulturist will be found further remarks and evidence, 
The subject of soil temperatures in relation to germination and vege- 
tation of seeds is an important one which it will take several seasons 
to investigate sufficiently to justify drawing close practical deductions. 
As the thermometers essential for this investigation required to be 
made to order, and as this took time, we were unable this year to take 
such thermometrical readings during the- spring as would satisfy. 
With ordinary cheap instruments set in two places some distance apart 
at depths of one, three and six inches, and later at nine inches, we 
found that there was a quite close agreement of the two sets at the 7 
A. M. observation, so that after a time we were content to record the 
readings of but one set, and to assume that these readings would suf- 
fice to give results which might be considered relative in character 
from day to day, and which might explain the differences noted in the 
vegetation of seeds planted at various dates. In this hope we were 
mistaken, as there seems strong indications that the maxima tempera- 
tures affect vegetation of seeds to a greater extent than do mean tem- 
peratures, and that for the most rapid and reliable germination and 
vegetation there must be a succession of changes in the temperature 
from high to low. ‘Through the ascertaining the temperature most 
favorable for the germination and growth of various kinds of seed, we 
may reasonably hope in the future to deduce practical directions 
founded upon soii temperature to govern in the planting of farm and 
garden seeds, but before we can venture upon directions of this kind 
it will be necessary for us to carefully note not only the soil tempera- 
tures at various depths at one date, but also in some way to ascertain 
approximately the duration of the various temperatures of the day and 
night. This seems not only an interesting scientific problem, but as 
