20 [ASSEMBLY 
becomes impossible for him in all cases to verify the quality of the 
seeds that are furnished him. His business requires the keeping 
accounts with so many kinds and so many different sources that 
individual control cannot be exercised, but much must be trusted to 
subordinates. It is not surprising, then, that mistakes sometimes 
occur, and that occasional dissatisfaction is expressed by the purchaser. 
The extensive use of seedsmen’s seeds by the station has, upon a general 
view, furnished very satisfactory results, a continual source of surprise 
when the difficulties which surround the seedsman’s business are con- 
sidered. Our experience, however, leads us to criticisms upon seeds- 
men, and upon the character of the seeds supplied, which we must 
assume are justified more by lack of knowledge than intent on the 
part of seedsmen, and unfortunately, this lack of knowledge we can- 
not at present supply. 
Thus, we must know absolutely what species of vegetables cross fer- 
tilize, the value of the probability and the length of time required to 
eliminate from a variety the effect of previous cross-fertilizing. This 
being known, seedsmen should insist that those who grow their seed 
supply should grow but one variety of a species, liable to cross fertilize 
and this from seed furnished by the seedsmen, and of known purity. 
Seedsmen attempt this, but that they do not always succeed is shown 
by the fact that no radish seed used at the station has as yet yielded 
_ plants uniformly of the variety sown, but usually showing great diver- 
sity. 
We must know the influence of the soil upon the habits of the seed 
grown thereon, as for illustration, the pea, for which it is stated on 
good authority that dwarf varieties grown on mucky land furnish 
seed which tend to produce a taller-growing, more prolific kind upon 
other soils. his fact is utilized by one seedsman of our acquaintance 
who supplies the market gardeners of the south with pea seed grown 
purposely on mucky soil in the north, whereby it is claimed, and ap- 
parently justly, that this seed furnishes plants that ripen their seed 
mostly for one picking, thus allowing the ground to be quickly cleared 
for the reception of another crop. The question of climatic influence 
also is to be considered, for both soil and climate seem influential in 
changing the habit and quality, not so much the type, but perhaps 
this also, of the seedling. Until this matter of soil and climate influ- 
ence become proven, or determined, we must expect no change in the 
seedsman’s methods in this respect, but yet some of the seedsmen al- 
ready have commenced, and properly, itseems to us, to advertise seed 
of the growth of particular sections. 
Pedigree in seeds has a value; this can be affirmed positively, al- 
though the fact has not the general recognition that will admit of our 
criticising too harshly a divergence from this belief. Through the 
non-recognition of this fact arises an unwillingness on the part of 
seedsmen to pay for this quality, and hence seed distributed as of 
like variety, and which, indeed, produce likeness in type, yet vary 
much in habit of plant and prolificacy. 
Prolificacy in some vegetables depends upon other conditions than 
the seed used, or the soil upon which planted. When plants depend 
upon insects for the fertilization which is to cause seed, then these 
plants are fruitful according to the presence, the activity, and even the 
