Evening star., 1900-08-18
we supply shortages abroad and Import
only In case OF failure OF the crop.
California Products.


California Products.
Flower seeds ere extensively grown In
California, where there is cultivated a great
assortment Of varieties. and while nearly
all kinds flourish. there is SO much hard
work and close application necessary that
We have not been able to successfully COM
pete with Europe on most things. Sweet
peas, nasturtiums, cosmos, verbenas, petu-
Mas and asters are quite successfully
grown. and the seed trade now looks to
California for most of the sweet peas and
a great many nasturtiums.
Southern California has several very
prominent growers of fine double petunias
and other plants. The rapid advance of
the California sweet pea seed in popular
ity Is most marvellous. A beginning was
made in this line in a moderate way about
1885. when there was not over a dozen va
rieties listed. At first about quarter Of
an acre was grown: now one grower alone
has grown from $50 to 200 acres of them
each year for the past five years. and there
are no less than 125 varieties in his COM
plete list This grower has introduced more
than twenty varieties of great merit In the
last three years, among them the famous
race of "Cupids.' So important a factor
have the California sweet pea growers be-
come to the seed trade that some dealers
go there annually from the east to inspect
the growing crops and to hunt for novelties
in the sweet pea line. Flower seeds are
grown In number of places throughout
ihe oHlteu states, but only 4 portion Oh the
trade is supplied with homegrown seed.
Outside of California limited amounts of
mower seeds are grown. the principal kinds
being asters. phlox. petunia. verbena. por-
tulaca, znnia. balsam, hollyhock, pansies,
sweet peas. begonias, coleus, and some
green house plants
1t Is interesting to note the history OF
the tomato. It's gradual rise in popularity
and the rapidity with which new varieties
appeared when once its position was as
sured. Originally an American contribu-
t1on to horticulture, 1t was first used as
food by the Latin races of Europe. In
New Orleans they were used in catSup s
early as 1779, but in the English colonies
tomatoes were planted only as ornaments
under the name of love apples" In 1926.
however, they began to be popular as food.
In 1s4I there six or seven varieties,
but there was not much difference between
them. By 1860 hundreds of acres were
planted with this vegetable In the vicinity
OF Philadelphia alone. In 1865 the tomato
was universal favorite. 1t had become
commercial staple. and 1.000 acres are said
to have been devoted to its cultivation in
the neiGhborhood of Philadelphia. During
that year the Ttlden appeared and at once
TOOK first rank. In the next five years the
Maupay, Foard. Eureka, Cooks Favorite
Boston Market, Dixey, Crimson Cluster
General Grant being the best of the num-
Der and really good tomato. From six
varieties in 1850 the number increased to
thirty in 1850. and in 1899 American seeds
1890 Ss''A"S W. 80 al iStiSo VI
Flowers Grown From Seeds
The development in the varieties OF flow
ers grown from seed, If not conspicuous,
have been not less remarkable. Indeed it
may be said that in the entire history of
the seed trade there has been nothing to
equal the phenomenal improvement in the
sweet pea.
In the United States reputable seedsmen
nave tested for termination probably since
the first seed firm was started. The state
experiment stations have for a long time
done something in practical seed testing
among other stations that have contrib
uted to the work are Arkansas, Cornell
New York Delaware. Illinois. Indiana
Iowa, Maine. Massachusetts. Minnesota
North Dakota, New Mexico. PENNSYLVANIA
Rhode Island, South Carolina South Da-
kota. Vermont and Wisconsin,
The Department of Agriculture has con-
Quoted a small trial ground for the last
three years at Kensngton, Nd in connec-
ton with the seed laboratory. Here studies
of varieties are made all the obtainable va
rIetles of one kind being grown for one or
more seasons, and careful notes and photo
graphs taken. Undetermined weed seeds
found in imported grasses and forage plants
are also planted and the plants grown to
maturity. Many of these prove to be weeds
unknown in the United States and the de-
partment can thus to some extent keep in
formed of the weeds now being introduced
into this country