[tomato] seeds

ChuckWyatt/Md/Z7 (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Wed, 16 Jun 1999 08:47:38 -0400 

Mr. Bromley,

>>If you had lost 1/3 of your crop to 4 different seed borne diseases.
you might think differently about it.<<

For the home gardener there is extreme difficulty in determining whether a
disease is seed borne or soil borne.  I am told that you have fallen into
the trap of using some of the Jerry Baker scam methods.  I would suggest
that you look in that direction for your reasons for crop failure.  I
suspect that you have poisoned your soil to the extent that recovery will
be slow if at all.

At any rate, I certainly don't have any problem with you dumping whatever
on your garden you like but I do feel it is a pity to see such ideas
foisted off on an unsuspecting public.  A good example of your misguided
information was your suggestion that mink manure be used because the mink's
diet is primarily fish.  That is absolute nonsense!  The mink is a
carnivore, no matter what it eats and the warning about usine carnivore
manure is still valid.  It would be extremely difficult to get mink manure
but any poor soul who put stock in your suggestion would certainly be doing
the wrong thing.  In the first place, that whole thread was done tongue in
cheek and you missed the whole point.

The seed business is made up almost entirely of International Conglomerates
and the incidence of seed borne diseases is miniscule.  Although the vast
majority of seed is grown in third world countries at slave lobor prices
the product is primarily disease free.  I have personally opened and
divided many a fifty pound bag of seed from foreign countries that never
saw a U.S. inspector. Tis was completely legal and common practice.  The
Netherlands are a major player as is Germany and the former Soviet Union is
beginning to take a place.  There are many things wrong with the seed
business but disease borne seed isn't among them.

Byron, if you just sit back and learn from those you seem to constantly
challenge, you and your garden might benefit greatly. As it is now, you are
just making a fool of yourself.  Be quiet and trust somebody other than
Jerry Baker and you will find your garden improves. If you are losing 1/3
of your crop, as you say you are, please don't give advice!

Good gardening,
Chuck Wyatt