The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-26
SEEDS ARE MYSTERIOUS.
ONLY THE INITIATED KNOW ANY,
THING ABOUT THEIR GROWTH.
a Visit to the Seed Farms-Hoxv New
Varieties of Fruits, Vegetables and
Flowers Are Produced and Treated
An Interesting Contribution on an
Entertaining Subject.

1t takes an immense amount of work to
make some apparently trifiing things
worth their market value, says the Phila-
delphia Times. This thought rises up in
voluntarily to one acquainted with the
ways of the agricultural world whenever
paper of seeds comes into view or ques-
don The gayly printed little envelopes,
each depicting in glowing colo-s the vege-
table or floral marvel that may be expect
ed to spring from the tiny globules within,
represent at the lowest calculation months
or preparation, weeks of work, days of
watchfulness and hours of final patient
endeavor. In addition there must be back
OF all this sound knowledge of the prin-
ciples of agriculture and horticulture, and
not little scientiical botanical education,
and the results of such a combination of
wisdom and labor may be bought for
few cents. and will nearly always grow
up into highly satisfactory garden or
farm produce.
A visit TO a seed farm is very much like
a glimpse behind the curtain with which
nature ordinarily wells her processes. You
get mint OF the secret of new varietes;'
you come to understand why the seeds
sold by your favorite firm are always re
nabie; you learn the birthplace of the
wisdom discriminating literature which ap-
pears In the agricultural journals, and you
discover progress in the arts of farming
S sna gardeping is made not only possible,
put easy. Seed farming is necessarily sci
entlnc FARMING. The soil must be analysed
anu properly compounded to suit the diff
ierent varieties of growth; the weeds must
be exterminated; the fence rows must be
clean; the space must be economizsd and
every foot OF ground utilized for the Gull
tVation OF some plant vine. In order
mat all this may be done a small army of
workmen are kept at work all through the
At all possible, and through the whole year
mere is more or less work In many of the
departments
There are four large seed firms In Phila-
oeiphla which own and operate their own
farms. The others depends on the seeds
which come to them from their agents
and even the firms who can boast of trial
ana SEED farms are obliged to depend upon
agents for a great part Of their stock
Tor seed in this portion of the country
ana OF even such an ordinary vegetable as
peas the seed supply comes almost en-
tlrely from the Northwest and Canada.
outdoor work begins as early as March,
when the blowing is started, if the weather
permits The custom of resting" the
land prevails on the seed farms to a
Greater ra extent than on ordinary farms
order that the land may be kept thoroughly
sweet and retain it's fertility.
About the 1st of May work on vegetable
form or another continues until the end of
august Some grains and a few of the
Vegetables veg abb require attention much later,
sole or his foot during the whole season.
Where hot houses are a special feature of
plants are the object the work is literally
continuous. There are always plats to be
potted," or slipped" or "hardened-up."
the business.
A fower-seed farm is the poetical part
ground thickiy planted T'S with h" .SieedinS 81
heart" somewhat similar tract ablaze
with scarlet geraoiums; a similar plot
and their white relatives. Of the orange Sg
n anr1fd md 81 Iofo
Fancy making a business Of growing the
sweet woodbine and looking after it's propa-
| Of turnips. And consider the start it
blue larkspur'' dragged down to the level
seed, the gathering Of which with her used
TO be q semi-religious rite, performed only
when her spirit was quiet and her soul un-
| One of the most obvious uses Of the seed
farm is the trial of the seed offered for
Every new variety of seed is thus care
fully tested before il is put upon the mar
ket. and all unworthy kinds are rejected.
or perpetGated rom sports from known
varieties, are subjected to special trial be-
fore the public. A new flower somewhat
resembling the sweet pea, except that the
| flower is produced In clusters, has been
the subject Of such experiments for the
sonia" some of it went to the worlds fair,
and IL seems likely to become generally
known. a local firm has also a new vari-
ETY. of lettuce under test for the second
year. The uneducated country young
ster might easily mistake the plant
/ for that of the succulent dandelion:
/ but green" IL promises to
| give more general satisfaction than
| that old-fashioned standby.
A seed farm, too, is a good place to
learn of the vegetable habits of other coun-
/ tries and by its aid the possibility of ac-
! climatizng plants is determined. Kale, the
/ old country favorite, is becoming more
common in this country; and a seed farm