The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-01

were In the United states SIS seed farms.
/ containing 1850 acres, Il watch s5.sil
/ were actually producing seed crops. The
| production OF seed D. sin iucreasiug and
I o. f. stated on good authority that io1@'i
acres are now annually devoted % I'ehs
alone. ana half as many 90 bfanf lu ISIS
We imported half our wrinkled sorts. q "
we supply shortages abroad and impo'
only 10 case Of failure n the crop
Flower seeds are extensively grown in
! California. where there is cultivated u
great assortment OF varieties. and while
nearly all kinds flourish there is 50 much
| hard work ana close application necessary
/ that We have not been ooie 90 suc4es*-
| fully compete with Europc on most things.
| Sweet peas. uasturUums. cosmos. Ner-
bcuas. potunlas ana aftcrs are quite sl. =
cessfully grown. and tue seed trude nov
looks 60 California Tor most % the sweet
peas and "a great many nasiur,iums.
southern California has several very
prominent growers of fine double petuniar
ana other p.grts. Tho rapid advance Of
the California sweet pa seed iu popular
ity as most marvellous a beginning Vas
made in this lire in "a moderate way
about ls,5. when there were not over 81
dozen varieties LISTED At hrst about a
quarter OF an acre was grown. nov one
grOwcr alone has grown from 10 TO %
acres Of them each year for the past i've
years, aud there are 10 less than ~ va
rieties in his complete list This grower
has introduced more than twenty varie-
ties OF great merit in the last three
years. among them the famous race of
"Cupda So important factor have
the California sweet pea growers become
20 tho seed trade that some dealers 10
there annually from the East 70 inspect
he growing crops ana 20 hunt for now
elites in the sweet pea lire. Flower seeds
are grown Va number ~ places through
OUT the United States. but only a portion
% the trade D. supplied with homegrown
seeds. Outside OF California limited
amounts OF flower seeds are grown. the
principal kinds being asters. phloX. pee
iunia. vcrbena, portulica. iuznia. halsam,
hollyhock. plnsics. sweet peas. begouias.
coleus and some green house plants.
II Is interesting to note the history Of
the tomato - gradual rise in popularity
and the rupidity with which new varic-
lies appeared when once its position wsa
assured. Originally an American coutfi-
button 20 horticulture. 90 was first used
a. food by the Latin races OF Europe
In New Orleans they were used m cafsup
os early az lUs. bur In tho English colo
nles tomatoes were planted only as orul-
ments under the name Of 'i0ve apples "
In 1886, however. they began 90 De popu-
lar as food. In 1871 there were six or
seven varieties. but there was not mu ia
difference between thcm. By iss0 hun
dfeds OF acres were planted with this veg
etabe in the vicinity of Philaslelphsa
a'one. In 1855 tine tomato was a unlvor-
sal fayortc. II had become a commercial
staple. ana 1000 acres are said 10 have
n"en devoted 40 its cultivation IN the
motherhood of Philadelphia During
that year the Tiidcn appeared and az once
took first rank In the next i've years
the Maupay. Foard. Eureka. Cooks Fav-
oTite, Boston Market. Dixey. Crimson
Cluster and General Grant were intro-itie-
90 che General Grant being the best 81
the number and q really cool tomato
From six varieties IN 1850 the number an
creased 10 thirty IN 1851. and in 1884 Amer
lean seedsmen catalogued az varieties OF
tomato
The development In the varieties OF
flowers grown from seed n not conspIru-
Gus. has been not less remarkable. Indeed.
u may be said that In the entire history
10 equal the phenomenal improvement in
the sweet pea.
In the United States reputable seeds
men have tested for termination Or baby
since the hrst seed firm was started The
state experiment stations have for a long
time done something tn practical seed
testing. Among other stations that have
contributed % the work arr Arkansas.
Cornell. New York, Delaware Illinois.
Indiana. Iowa. Maine. Massachuretts
Minnesota, North Dakota. New MeNico
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island. South Caro-
lima. South Dakota, Vermont aud Wis
conein
The department OF ayr culture has con-
Quoted n small trial ground for the last
three years al Kers rgton. Md In con-
nection with the seed laboratory. Here
studies Of varieties are made. all the OBJ
tainable varieties OF che kind being
grown FOR one or more seasons. and care
ful notes and photographs taken. Unde-
iermined weed seeds found in imported
grasses and forage plants are also plant
"a and the plants grown 10 maturity.
Many OF these prove TO be seeds unknown
in the United states and the departms NJ
can thus to some extent keep informed
OF the weeds now being introduced into
this country