The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1848-01-24
Collecting Choice Seeds.

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There is no way in which improvement can
be made in agriculture, at SO small an expense
as by collecting seeds of superior varieties of
vegetables, trees and scions of superior fruits,
and superior animals. 1t costs no more to
raise crop of an excellent variety, if we ex-
cept the harvesting of large crop, to cultivate
to attend to those of inferior kinds, which
yield rs or 80 per cent less.
At present we shall make a few remarks on
superior vegetables, and the Importance Of
collecting valuable seeds. as the present is a
more favorable time for procuring them, than
that OF spring, when they will be wanted.
There is vast difference in different varie-
ties of vegetables. In some cases by the ex-
pense of one dollar in time or money, in get.
ting superior variety, there may be 10 or IL
dollars added to the value of crop on an acre
of land and valuable kind being once OBJ
tanned, perhaps it can be continued for many
years, affording an annual advantage in return
for little attention to this mode of improve
ment.
In planting different varieties of potatoes on
the same land, and under the same treatment,
we find that some kinds yield almost twice as
much as others, while there is no material diff
ference in their value. Again some kinds
that do not rot are now worth a dollar barrel
more than those subject to decay, and which
we sold while the price was low.
Sometimes single ear of corn may prove
to be worth more dollars to farmer than the
number of rows it contains. 1t may even
make difference to that amount annually
Some kinds of wheat yield much more than
others; and some varieties are less liable to
rust and the grain worm than other kinds.
Grasses vary much, and there is confusion
in them for reasons which we will name at
another time. Perhaps some farmers can get
the kinds they want, from reliable sources.
Some oats mildew almost invariably, while
Others are almost wholly free from this at
fiction. There is also a vast difference in the
weight of oats some weighing almost twice
as much as others, and yet yielding as many
bushels.
Some squashes, on account of their purity,
will sell twice as high in the market as Others,
to say nothing of the advantage of having a
superior article for ones own use.
1t is about the same with all other vegetables.
A gardener would better pay dollar an ounce
for cabbage seed of pure variety, than to
have poor seed given him. And we have
known cases in which cultivators would have
paid that price cbeerfully, rather than run the
risk of sowing poor.
There is great variety of turnips, some
adapted to very early use, Others late in sue
cession in the summer some Tor fall, others
early winter, and few that keep as well as
parsnip for spring use. We once planted
so varieties. There is a great advantage in
having kinds adapted to their peculiar season.
Farmers, gardeners, seedsmen, and seed
growers all pay too little attention to this sub
ject. We ought to have professional seed
growers who will attend to the business in a
scientific manner, collecting all the varieties
of vegetables for experiment, as nursery
man does with his specimen orchard. And
the seed grower should select only the best
vegetables to propagate from, for the same
reason that stock breeder selects for this
purpose his finest animals.
The seed business, as general thing, is not
properly managed, and there is fault IN all
concerned the seed grower, the vender, and
the purchaser. The purchaser aims too nuch
at buying cheap some make this the only
criterion. Then the dealer is induced to buy
cheap, ard to this end he may sometimes I'M
port seeds. at low plice, and not offer the
seed grow enough to pay for raising. For
eign seeds are often worthless or false to their
marks. We have no doubt that some foreign
seed dealers send to this country their old
worthless seeds.