The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-02-05
MAJ. r. L. ND.


planting industry. The Sterling,
Hyco and Tuckahoe, three of the
finest and best varieties, were origi-
mated on the Hyco SeedFarm, and
named by its enterprising owner.
Varieties suited to every type Of to-
bacco are propagated on this Seed
Farm, except White Burley and Per-
ique, and under his improved methods
have been better in every essential
particular. Many varieties have been
tested and found unworthy of propa-
CATION and never listed or offered for
sale. Only those possessing distinc-
tive merits for some particular type are
retained on the list and offered for
SALE
requires trained hands, necessitating
years to make one efficient in all its
departments. Some can never learn
and therefore are not permitted to at
tempt any important work. To de-
scribe the modus operandi of turning
out selecting seed-plants and tending
seed -heads) would not interest the av
erage reader. But by this work the
purity of the seed and the eliminating
of all impure and imperfect seed is
assured, every seed-head receiving
timely and prompt attention. More
carefully and thoroughly is this done
to thousands of seed heads, than the
average attention paid by planters to
the few they annually turn out for seed.
The advantage of planting seed
selected from thousands of seed-stocks,
as is done at Hyco every year, is an
incalculable advantage in the way Of
breeding upward, which no planter
can have who plants simply from the
few stocks he raises each year for seed.
CHOICE OF SELECTION.
By the method above described, we
have the schoice of selection,' and
thus can go on improving more rapidly
and effectually than can possibly be
done on ordinary tobacco farms under
the best management.
1t is on this principle that finer
stock may be reasonably expected
from the mating of the selections from
herd of 1 900 cattle, than ordinarily
from herds of half a dozen. But the
half dozen, when selected from the
best to be found on other farms, may
produce as fine animals as the selec-
tions taken from the large herds.
This much can be said of the seed
raised at Hyco: They are
THOROUGHBRED PEDIGREE SEED,
and every planter who uses these seed
will have. not only the finest Of each
variety offered, but the breeding and
training back Of all this which fixed
its pre-potency for future transmission.
In this way all our improved varieties
come along with hybridizing. I'm
provement of any agricultural or horti-
cultural plant is possible only in the
hands of one who understands thor
oughly the genius, habits, peculiarities
and qualities of the plant sought to be
improved And the man of all others
who has given the bes. assurance of his
capabilities in the improvement of the
tobacco plant suited to every type is
the owner OF the Hyco Seed-Farm.
DISPOSITION.
The question naturally arises, what
goes with the annual product of the
biggest tobacco-seed farm in the world?
In the first place, the largest whole,
sale and retail dealers in seeds send
their orders to Hyco to be filled every
ear The Agricultural Department al
Washington orders from Hyco for dis
tribution. Tobacco warehousmen are
liberal takers, for gratuitous distribu
ton. They know the value Of select
varieties, supply their customers with
the newest and best kinds, and there
by extend their patronage. Order:
come to Hyco from every portion o
the world where tobacco can be grown
and many more come through Ameri
can correspondents of foreign houses
Major Ragland has on his book
the names Of foreign Consuls anc
Representatives, some of whom s5{I
him orders for tobacco seed regultT
with each returning season. ~.