The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-16
FORTUNES MADE FROM SEEDS.
REVELATIONS OF 4 GREAT LON
DON STOREHOUSE.

Business OF Far Bigger Proportions ThAn
Generally SuppOsed-COllection Made
From All Over the World IncubatOrs
Put TO Odd Uses--The Pedigree Books.
Far larger sums change hands In a sea-
son over simple seeds than the outside
public. however devoted 1t may be to the
art of gardening, has any idea OF, said
London warehouse man to Carnochan Doug
lass, as reported in Chdmbers's Journal
Take the innocent sweet pea, for in
stance. Who would believe that Of the
better varieties an average wholesale price
for its seeds may he estimated at from Gl00
to s3oO ton and that anywhere from
s5o,OOO to G1OOOOO would represent the
OUTPUT, wholesale, In one season alone2
A specially choice novelty would command
mt least f5 an ounce retail, which would
total out to fl79 200 a ton, II such quantity
we're ever required. This Is truly an aston
ishing figure-an ample fortune for many
man.
AS compared to tn sse, we find the cost
of the cheaper varieties Of seeds-say, the
common convolvulus-would probably
amount to only ESQ a ton Wholesale. -
Even so, the vegetable and agricultural
seeds vary In representative money value;
caultlower, onion, celery, parsnip, mangold
swede, turnip, clover and grass seeds all
differ in price according to their quality
and novelty.
at is oh vious that the enormous quantities
of seed required are not grown within the
British Isles; they are gathered from
every corner OF the world, and the in
termediary between the grower and the
retailer or market gardener Is the wholesale
seed mer chant.
THE heads OF these wholesale houses are
not known to tho general public. Adyer-
Using In any form is az strictly avoided as
1t is by the members Of the Royal College
of Surgeons; the retail houses only may
advertise to their hearts content.
-The bulk Of the seed imported is tenn
porarly stored in large warehouses, whose
mysteries are strictly guarded and inaoces-
sible to the outsider.
-The flower seed department alone Of
one OF these large repositories occupies
whole building, consisting OF . basement
and four floors. The ground floor is entered
through massive double iron fr>proof
doors which effectively protect 1t from fro
and thieves.
In the center Of this Hoor are large
bins filed with seeds, mainly sweet peas,
while around the sides run long fixed
counters, where men are busiy employed,
one of each couple weighing out the quantity
ordered, while the other puts II into seed
pockets or brown paper bags, according
to the size required.
Behind these workers the walls are
lined with innumerable drawers filed
with loose seed. These contain every
known variety Of flower seed, carefully
labeled, each with its Latin ma me. Some
OF these drawers when filed With choice
kinds Of seeds, such az primulas and oin-
erarias, represent an enormous money
value. One pound OF such seed would cost
from ESQ to ECO wholesale, or q choice
petunia seed, for example. would range
at about 4lo los. for a single ounce.
seed, part Of the walls are Allied with pigeon
holes, into which the packets Of different
varieties Of seeds are put. At the counters
in front Of the pigeonholes men and women
are engaged rapidly filing and making
holes ready for despatch at a noment's
sThe center Of the floor of the third story
Is piled high with sacks to replenish the
drawers and bins on the lower floors. Here
are bales and bales Of nasturtium seed from
Great Britain and the Continent; tons and
tons OF sweet pea seed from, California;
also tons OF mignonette seed harvested
on the banks Of the Loire, the native land Of
Margaret Of Anjou, Queen Of our Henry W.,
in the neighborhood Of the fairy haunted
Broken, while the rest was harvested In
Essex. In addition to all these there are
innumerable bags Of marigold and ech-
scholtzia seed
.On the shelves that flank the sides Of
v,laNnA amQllof 6iZA0
bags Containing costlier varieties Of differ
ent seeds-one with 1871 pounds OF choice
variety OF pansy, representing money
val,ie twholesale) of Es4. Asters there are
in endless variety, for OF these seeds some
growers order as many as twenty pounds
to he used for cut flowers alone.
"A large portion OF the top floor Is covered
with bags Of seed piled high to the ceiling.
which are likewise used to replenish the
stock on the lower floors. The more In
is that part partitioned of with strong
wire netting and securely locked. Behind
this stout barricade are kept what are
known as the stock seeds OF the firm;
and improved on the firms own trial
grounds to insure that the seed for dis.
posal one or two years hence may be OF
the very best strain. These are sent to
those countries whose climates are best
suited to the production and their products
the seed thus obtained Ia allowed to pasa
into the hands OF the retailer 1t is once more
tested to see il its growth is perfect. -.
AS in the case Of famous racehorses, the
pedigrees OF these precious stock seeds
are carefully preserved In large, heavy
locked ledgers, so that the family tree OF
each class Of seed may be readily traced
back through generations Of ancestors.
This Is a highly important and intricate
part of the detail Of the business.
The trial grounds on which these tests
terest. The seeds to be tested are sown IN
short rows, each row being numbered,
and full description kept In the firms
books. When the blooms have reached
maturity they are examined as to color
habit, size, &C., and should any 'rogues' be
present they are carefully noted In the
firms trial books.
"In another warehouse there is to be
seen large staff busy with the execution,
Travelled far and wide ere they reached
the heart Of foggy London, The bulk
came from Holland; for instance. such
hyacinths az Gar Peter and La Grandesse