Changes

As a rule, seeds germinate best when they are fresh, that is, less than one year old. Some seeds, however, of which those of melons, pumpkins, and cucumbers are examples, retain their vitality unimpaired for a number of years, and gardeners do not ask for recent stock. Seeds of corn-salad should be a year old to germinate well. Very hard bony seeds, as of haws and viburnums, often do not germinate until the second year. In the meantime, however, they should be kept moist. Seeds of most fruit and forest trees should be kept moist and cool, otherwise they lose vitality; yet if kept too moist, and particularly too close or warm, they will spoil. Nuts and hard seeds of hardy plants usually profit by being buried in sand and allowed to freeze. The freezing and the moisture soften and split the integuments. Sometimes the seeds are placed between alternate layers of sand or sawdust: such practice is known technically as stratification.

As a rule, seeds germinate best when they are fresh, that is, less than one year old. Some seeds, however, of which those of melons, pumpkins, and cucumbers are examples, retain their vitality unimpaired for a number of years, and gardeners do not ask for recent stock. Seeds of corn-salad should be a year old to germinate well. Very hard bony seeds, as of haws and viburnums, often do not germinate until the second year. In the meantime, however, they should be kept moist. Seeds of most fruit and forest trees should be kept moist and cool, otherwise they lose vitality; yet if kept too moist, and particularly too close or warm, they will spoil. Nuts and hard seeds of hardy plants usually profit by being buried in sand and allowed to freeze. The freezing and the moisture soften and split the integuments. Sometimes the seeds are placed between alternate layers of sand or sawdust: such practice is known technically as stratification.

Seed-breeding and -growing.

Seed-breeding and -growing.

The United States Census of 1910 gives the total valuation of the vegetable- and flower-seed crop grown in the United States in 1909 at $1,411,013 (see page 3136), but it is thought that the amount actually produced was much larger, seed-dealers and -growers generally being inclined to depreciate the extent and profit of the business in order to lessen competition. Since then the amount grown and listed has increased materially, an estimate by a very experienced dealer of the area devoted to vegetable-seed crops in 1915 being as follows:

The United States Census of 1910 gives the total valuation of the vegetable- and flower-seed crop grown in the United States in 1909 at $1,411,013 (see page 3136), but it is thought that the amount actually produced was much larger, seed-dealers and -growers generally being inclined to depreciate the extent and profit of the business in order to lessen competition. Since then the amount grown and listed has increased materially, an estimate by a very experienced dealer of the area devoted to vegetable-seed crops in 1915 being as follows:

Acres

                                        Acres

Seed beans 50,000

Seed beans 50,000

Cabbage for seed 2,000

Cabbage for seed 2,000