, 1873-01-01

Boen in the oaBt, just beforo sunrise.
The regular annual prediction Of collision with
a comot, nono time in Angnat, will undoubtedly
DO 1nato, and beloved by thousands. So far aa
VIC know, tho earth Is in no danger Of damage
from collision with comet in 1873.
The Seed business in The United Stntcs.
Botwoon two aud three millions Of capital are
invested in tho seed business in this country,
and tho annual trado turns ovor not less than
five million dollars. 1t Ina shared tho growth
and change Of the last quarter Of d century, and
now has locked hands with tho advancing civil
izaton OF tho country, md especially Of tho
Wost. Thirty yonrs ago, tho entiro trado scarce
ly reached quarter of n million, and OF this
tho shatorB did by far tho 1nrgoat share. Now,
tho shakors do about rs much Us thoy did then,
but tho gonoral business has long since passed
them. We depend no 1ongor on homegrown
Bcods, and tho careful savings OF tho farmer from
fold and gardon but import i'll alargoly-ncroaHing
ratio tho best varieties Of scods from all parts
Of tho world.
It would seem that America, will, lor wido
rango of climate, wider than that Of my othor
country, might at least raiso all her own soed
nftor tho ynriotioB were once introduced. But
Nature. novor forgetting amy link OF tho chain
OF mutual dependence which sho draws round
nations as vol as individuals, will not mako us
entirely independent ovonin tho matter Of sools.
Evory land has its natural advantages, oyory
plant its fayorito habitat, whero, under so1no
mysterious harmony Of soil, cimato, and condi-
tionB, 1t attains itB perfection.
Our own country, with itH agriculture based
on corn, affords us tho beBt goods OF that family,
mud Of its attendant vines. Nowhere do the
seeds Of tho melon, squash, pumpkin, md aimi-
lar vegetables attain creator excellence than un-
dor our burning sunBhine and in our nights full
of warmth and moisture. But corn il not
| good noighbor for pens. Tho hoat which kindly
! maturos it md its friends brings into existence
fly which porces tho poa whilo yot in blossom,
| with tho ogg which develops into tho large and
lively bug that infests all our poas.
So for our peed-poas VIC 60 to Can-
ada, w4ero they, along with wintor
wheat mature admirably in on atmosphere
which excludes tho products Of warmer climaa
| England howoyor supplies with our dwarf
| peas and other choice varieties. That country,
with its moist and temperate climate, has it's
agriculture based upon tho turnip aB food for
stock, ours is upon corn, and, naturally, there
wo obtnn our largest md most reliable stocks OF
turnp and gadish seoa. It Is not that our Own
turnp seed is not good it IL excellent if 1t only
tor adapted to our uso on account Of being ac-
clmatod; but tho oxtroine heat and drouth oi
ourJuly frequently natures it 80 rapidly us te
injuro it's quality. II it escapes this danger, It,
as well ~ othor similar seo1B, becomes quito
valuable, Quo pound OF it, indeed, oosting as
much as three Of tho imported.
Tho boot, which is tho principal root crop o'
franco md Germany, has boon moro completely
uaturalized horo, mud, with tlo exception Of the
Bugar-beot, wo raise tho largeBt proportion o.
.,ur own Hcod. Tho boHt cabbage neod is i'm
ported, and for that rctlnod variety Of it, tut
ca,,li!lowor wo arc almost entirely dependent OF
the South OF Germany and Northern Italy. I
il almost pitywo cannot import cooks for chilli
tlowors for tho processes to which the unfor
tuuato vegetable il subjected by careless Or 1lia
skilled hands, genorasly deprive it Of I'LL ita fine
favor. Tho East produces tho Tory fines
! lettuce md onion coed, but exchanges with u
for our vino soeds, which far surpass hors.
Flower aceds wo got principally from Franc
and Germany, tho old town Of Erfurt bcin1
tho great centro of advanced agriculture m
horticulture in Germany, AS Rochester, n
: X, which does fully one-Aalt OF our sood an
) nurAory business, is Of the United statos
, Holland supplies ua with bulbs Of all yartotica
and tho lucst quatioB, except lilies, which nr
| largely raised in New YORK. Inc pu1pH COM
pnoltod In buckwlleat hulls, which most offoct
unlly protect thom from moisture. The common
or varieties Of seoas arc transported In i've
bualel gacks, the finer onos in closo linen bags
, Prudent Importers avoid paying moro than on
duty Oh bags by sending thena to bo rofltod,
they arc not lablo after tho first transit. I'll
aferage freight from tho foreign ports to Chsca
20 is from $1.00 to E51.50 per b,lshel, Of whtc
J two-iifths Ia OCEAN and throo-flfths inlan
, freight.
, The Western territory is rising in agr1cultur
md HORTICULTURE with tho greatoat rapidity, as
: indicated by tho kind and quality Of tho sood
sought for, and tho doubling and oyon troblin
Of the Boelsmons orders annually for tho pas
0 few years from Kansas, Iowa, Colorado M!a
= souri, and oi1r own State, which aro all amop
> tho bost customers, tho two tlrHt na1nod, how
ever, with our own, Booking most eagerly til
iiner varieties Of seods.
-Four principal llrms, ,-ono In Rochester, ono /
l PHILADELPHIA, ono In Detroit, md ono in Chi
! oago--do probably threo-fourIhs Of all tho com
mission importation, aud othor seed busines
rest OF tho Hudson aud north OF Tho Ohio Nls
0rH.
! Previous to 1862 Boeds we're on tho froo 1is
= They now pay duty Of 20 per can't. 1t Ia to b
= hoped that Government in future reduction
y will iu tho luterest OF agriculture Throughout
tho country, ronombor Booda especially, Us it
itsof taking painB to Introduce them fret
J. through Ito Department Of Agriculture.
!, |
: 4 Chicago correspondent OF tho Now York 1ril