SC - seed markets?

[Stefan li Rous]

Jadwiga Zajaczkowa commented:
> Now, you could make a case that since a large part of the seed market in
> the British Isles was actually controlled by the Dutch in the later part
> of our period, if the Dutch did not sell tomato seeds as edibles perhaps
> that would account for the lack of use in the British Isles (presumably
> the Jewish consumers mentioned in the OED quote were getting theirs
> shipped or the seeds shipped from relatives or trade contacts in Southern
> Europe).

A period "seed market"? More details or referances please. This is the
first I've heard of any such thing. I assume this was only very late
in period, when trade was more stable and there was less small-scale
warfare, since the lose of the seeds for next year's crops could be
devastating. Or was this just for ornamental plants?

- -- 
THLord  Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas         stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****