What's your reaction to 4 seed catalogue? By chance 
do you say: “Why don't they list something new? It's 
always the same old things: 
All of us have said this at one time or other. as the 
Look back at a catalogue of fifteen years ago, how- 
ever, and run through the varieties. You will see that 
we have changed far more than you have ever 
More interesting than the mere fact of change: is 
the observation that we are on the threshold of a new 
age in seeds: Perhaps we should most aptly call this 
the HYBRID AGE. 
Look at Antirrhinums oF Snaps: Fifteen years ago we 
had only straight varieties: Not a single hybrid. Now, 
almost all the worth-while varieties are hybrids. an 
they make up perhaps 95% of the sales of Snap seeds. 
' As you pass on to the Petunias, again you see a 
trend toward Hybrids — ¢ trend not so well developed 
as in Snaps 5° far, but a trend promising that within 
the next five years, WE will be using possibly more 
hybrids of Petunias than the older varieties. which will 
In passing to Petunias, we skimmed ove! Begonias. 
These should have been mentioned briefly because 
there are definite signs here that the Hybridists are 
slowly coming to the front with superior varieties. 
Several good Zinnia crosses have been produced 
now, and we are told that the seed growers in 
California are grooming several extra {ne hybrids for 
us for introduction in the very near future. 
And as we pass on to the back of the catalogue: 
we see the hybrid trend even appearing in tomatoes: 
The fact is, we are told by our tomato seed growers. 
that this yea! 95% of the tomato seed sold in the 
country will be hybrids. Next year. it will begin to 
become difficult to obtain the older straight sorts: suc 
as Marglobe. Rutgers, etc: as seed growers are switch- 
ing almost entirely into the more productive hybrid 
crosses: 
There are still a good many seed varieties that have 
not felt the hybridist's touch, so We therefore look 
forward to 4 newer and more exciting florist business 
as more things are improved, enlarged and made 
more productive. 
In the many trades they SY a change of style will 
invigorate the market. Let's make our new varieties 
useful in rejuvenating our business! 
