patel@uicsg.UUCP (03/07/84)
#N:uicsg:16700002:000:1219 uicsg!patel Mar 6 17:26:00 1984 In these notes several seed catalogues were discussed. I read all notes very carefully but couldn't find what I was looking for. I like to know if anyone carries seeds for exotic oriental vegetables. My interest is in Indian Vegetables and herbs. For some of the vegetables I don't even know the English names! I can tell from the picture and the description what vegetable it is. I have seen some of these vegetables in Indian/Chinese/Japanese grocery stores but have no idea where to get the seeds for it. Some of the things I am looking for are: Fresh Turmeric Root: Looks very much like Ginger root except it is yellow. Karela (bitter melon?): 4 to 6 inch long bitter tasting vegetable. Tindora : Very small 2 to 4 inch long cucumber like vegetable. I don't know if it similar to "West India Gherkin" in Burpee's book. I would be glad to trade seeds with someone, I have some seeds from India, which I have grown in Illinois and harvested seeds from only those which grew well in Illinois weather. Others which did not grow well, I suspect requires a warmer climate and/or longer growing season, and may do well in South. -Janak Patel, Coordinated Science Lab, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.
saquigley@watmath.UUCP (Sophie Quigley) (03/08/84)
From "The Next Whole Earth Catalog", p101 Seeds,
Unusual Seed Catalogs:
Kitazawa Seed Co, A 356 W, Taylor Street, San Jose, CA 95110
Kitazawa is a supplier of oriental seeds such as Chinese cabbage,
Japanese Onion, edible burdoch, etc.. Catalog free
Exotica Seeds Co, 1742 Laurel Canyon Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Exotica seeds is a small LA outfit involved in enlarging the tropics.
Founder Steven Spangler takes yearly trips to mexico, the pacific,
and South America looking for high altitude, cold-adapted forms of
tropical fruits and vegetables, catalog $2
Nichols garden Nursery, 1190 N.W Pacific Hwy. Albany, OR 97321
Nichol's sells rare seeds and herbs and plants. catalog free
Hurov Tropical Seeds, P.O Box 1596, Chula Vista Ca 92012
You want exotic seeds? try Hurov's. They have (at steep prices)
jackfruit, jojoba, carambola, five members of the soursop tribe, ylang
ylang, mahogany, cocoa, allspice, litchi, acerola, loquat, cloves, and
cinnamon. Catalog $.50
Seed Swapping:
Seed Saver's Exchange, c/o Kent Whealy, Rural Route 2, Princeton, MO 64673
catalogue $3
A World Seed Service, J.L Hudson, seedsman, P.O Box 1058, Redwood City,
CA 94064
Redwood City Seed Company, P.O Box 361, Redwood City, CA 94064.
Im would recommend the Seed Saver's Exchange very strongly. I've had the
opportunity of hearing Mr Whealy at a conference on seed saving a few weeks
ago and I was very impressed by the amount of work him and his company have
done for the preservation of seeds.
here's the blurb on them from The Whole Earth Catalogue:
The SSE is an organisation of vegetable gardeners who are working to save
heirloom and endangered vegetable varieties from extinction. members of the
exchange, hundreds of them from North America and several foreign countries,
offer seed to each other of rare or old-fashioned fruit and vegetable varieties
they have grown. Both members and non-members can participate in the seed
exchange, but members trade seed to cover the cost of postage, while nonmembers
must include $1 for each variety requested.
To become a member you must have something (seeds or cuttings) to offer. The
SSE's yearbook lists the members with their offerings + a seed savers guide,
plant finder service, growers network and seed bank.
I do not have any seeds to exchange myself. I picked up a few at this
conference, so I expect to be able to exchange seeds next year after I
harvert the fruits (or should I say seeds) of my work. In the meantime,
good luck, and I hope this info will be of use to anybody.
Sophie Quigley
...!{decvax,allegra}!watmath!saquigley