Here’s an interesting article, cached by Google. The original link seems broken, but the cached version will do. It concerns heirloom, or legacy, seeds.
In an age of genetically engineered crops and seed hybrids, scientists are turning to old-fashioned plant varieties that could hold the key to warding off devastating blights to Southern crops.
Loss of genetic diversity in food crops emerged as an issue in the 1960s. Based on concerns that population would outgrow food supply and millions would starve, scientists developed new “super” seeds by crossbreeding plants. These hybrid seeds, which were resistant to most insects and diseases, yielded millions of additional tons of grain a year.
But the miracle seeds weren’t perfect. Not only did the hybrids lose their traits of open pollination, but insects and viruses also mutated and foiled the genetic resistance of the new seeds. The pests sent scientists scurrying to find other genes that would help crops withstand the threats. Meanwhile, the old varieties and wild plants were disappearing from many places, replaced by improved - but genetically uniform - crops.<<<
An excellent article, thank you.
I try to not even buy hybrid seeds.
The seeds that the dollar stores sell, are the old varieties and about now, or in a week or two, they will put them out, at 15 cents per package, all that I have tried have been good growers.
Here, it cools off at night, goes to a hundred and above in the days and the soil is almost sterile, so it has been difficult finding seeds that would grow.
Another gardner and I kept at it, until we found that the old varieties would grow and also that the oriental plant sources had seeds that were not hybrid, Japan and some from China.
There is a farm in Iowa, a school teacher, who grows fancy poultry of the old varieties and crops for seeds, all that I bought were good and cheap. Sandhill, it is here:
Nichols, had many heritage varieties and oriental, I have bought from them over 30 years:
Pinetree I also bought from, I like their mixed variety packets, so I could try more than one variety.
I get carried away, when I see a seed catalog, they do not make a garden big enough for all the seeds I bought.
There are other heirloom seed companies, but they were priced over my pocket book’s limits.
If I were to order today, I would put Sandhill #1, he has tomato seeds that others charge extra for, for a very small amount, I think I went wild and ordered enough packets, that I paid about 25 cents or maybe it was 50 cents, for some rare breeds.
And if he says, not for full sun areas, he means just that, I did not listen, grew wonderful tomato plants and fruits, but like his catalog said, “not a leafy plant and the sun will cook the fruit”, which it did.
Thank you for finding the article, it is good to see the truth printed and it is as I thought it would be, when the truth came out.