The Washington herald., 1909-06-22
AMERICAN SEED TRADE.
By FREDERIC ). HAsKIN,


VIII convene az Niagara Falls to-day. II
IS composed Of seedsmen. men who grow
seed Tor sale or market the product OF
those who do. and who meet in annual
convention for the purpose OF discussing
matters growing out Of their business. A
perennial subject OF discussion az con
lveDtions OF seedsmen is the free distribu-
ton or seed BY the Federal government,
which, OF course, Is bitterly opposed BIZ
those who are in the seed business for q
living. They have not succeeded in in
ducing Congress 70 discontinue the prac-
tice. but II Is asserted that the sentiment
IN opposition thereto is stronger than Il
was few years ago.
American farmers and gardeners spend
about $3l5,0oo0o0 a year Tor seed alone.
from which the importance OF the seed
trade may be guessed Seedsmen are on
tho lookout all the time for improved va
rieties. aud the agriculturist or the gar
oener who succeeds IN developing q va
riety not on the market before. and which
/ possesses desirable qualities. makes his
fortune. Thomas ". Lawson IS reported
20 have given many thousands Of dollars
Tor new species OF carnati0n A single
ear OF corn Of a newly developed species
brought $50 al the Sioux City Corn Pal
ace Exhibition. and as much as sl.008 was
paid for twenty ounces Of a variety Of
onion seed developed IL California A
/ Virginia farmer sold for very large sum
: last year a few bushels o. wheat. repre-
senting a variety which he had developed
through years Of careful selection.
or course. prices paid for a new variety
OF seed may represent the whim OF the
wealthy faddist. but In the case OF grain
and garden seed the price IS controlled
I by the actual demand among the sturdy
tiilers Of the soil. 10 whom the dealers
viii sell Secretary Wilson, OF the De-
partment OF Agriculture. has said that
I me farm production OF the country could
Y De doubled without increasing The acre
age were farmers 10 use the right kind
I OF SEED. The department IS expending
thousands OF dollars every year in con
Quoting experiments for the purpose of
Developing better seed OF every kind.
DONG much OF the work IN cooperation
with state experiment stations In add
uon. there are associations OF farmers IN
a number Of the States. formed for the
purpose Of developing seed OF q higher
grade, and also for the fostering OF the
sentiment for more careful seed selection.
About ten years ago Sir William O.
mcdonald. Of Canada, established a fund
OF $i9.YN, which was given away iu
prizes 20 sons and daughters OF farmers
IN Canada for punches OF the finest heads
OF wheat grown On their fathers farms
a condition being that every competitor
should plant the following year q quarter
I Dl an acre n wheat similarly selected
I ne competition. extending over three
years. was highly successful in inurov-
Ing the quality Of the seed wheat sou-n
IN Canada The purpose OF the ce-upeti-
ton was not % get the largest heads.
out 70 induce the children 20 SOW grain
from the largest heads. and thus furnish
tiae farmers OF the various provinces with
ooJect lessons showing the possibilities Of
seed selection
When the Department OF Agriculture
brought 20 this country the seed Of the
durum wheat, which was obtained II. the
seni-arid region OF Southeastern Russia
the wheat had deteriorated through mix
lnS With other varieties. but Il has been
bred Up until the product OF the high
plains OF the Northwestern States of re
United States IS better adapted 10 making
macaroni than any wheat grown. II Is
estimated that the annual value OF farm
. procucts OF the United States has been
increased over $-0o0000o0 BY the intro
duction by the department OF several
varieties OF seed hitherto unknown In the
United States.
x cost 800 10 Introduce sorghum seed
from France and China. and the annual
crop is valued at Sl0Q00o.000. and grown
on land generally unit FOR anything elsa
IL cost So,ooo 70 introduce kafir corn and
. the crop IS valued al Sl5.000000 annually.
/ rHsrrH~ Hhrs.r.H
crop IS worth $50 0000l0. Prof. Hansen OF
the Department Of Agriculture. spent six
months IN Russia and Siberia and re-
turned with seed OF the drv-land alfalfa
which IS now producing annually millions
o. dollars OF hay from lands REGARDED as
worthless because the rainfall IS INSULT
. cient for Ordinary plant life The gov
ernment claims that every day between
darkness and dawn the cost Of Prof.
Hansen's Journey IS returned IN FORAGE
produced on lands OF that character.
The government spends s2sa000 year
IN buying seeds for distribution. which
IS per cent Of the total seed bIl OF the
country Each Senator and Representa-
tive IS entitled 20 send out annually
l2,o5o packages OF vegetable seeds and so
OF flower seeds, hve varieties OF each
being placed IN a package The total
the number sent out by the department
direct approximates s0.O0dO00 These
seeds are mostly bought from private
firms under contract and are shipped
70 Washington and packed by government
employees Free seed distribution has con
tinued since 1861. in the face OF bitter
attacks from many members OF Con
gress, and with unvarying opposition By
the seed growers and dealers.
OF course the great bulk OF the grain.
grass, and garden seed sown in this
country IS produced al home. although
one firm is said 20 import 100000 pounds
OF clover seed every year. chiefly from
Germany. Sweet corn seed comes from
Maine. Nebraska. and Kansas: lettuce
seed from California, bean seed from
New York and Michigan; radish seed
from the Pacific Coast; beet seed comes
IN largest quantities from Europe.
though the government gets much from
California: cantalOupe. watermelon and
cucumber from Nebraska: cabbage from
Long Island. One locality in Long IS
land produces annually 80 carloads. Of cab
bage seed In California is one field of
800 acres OF sweet peas raised solely for
seed, which Is shipped 10 all parts OF
The country. The cost OF the seed used
in the United States every year IS esci-
mated about as follows: Vegetable and
flower seeds. S2o.oo0 600; grass seed. s2o2.-
10000; wheat, $4,000 o0os corn. 500 /
Ol0; cotton. S25.0oo000; potatoes. S26. Co., !
900; rice. S10000.00O; barley, Sl2Goaoo0. rye.
Ss,5oo.ooO: oats. 52.5OO.OOO; fax. Ss.0ooo00.
School children are being taught veZe- /
table and flower growing by means OF (
school gardens. an idea which originated
In the George Putnam Grammar School. !
IN Boston. in 1S91. and which has spread /