162 POPULAK EKEOKS. 



sap in the leaves and bark that the aphis that 

 infest the tree is unable to subsist on the leaves, 

 and is therefore driven off, leaving the tree unmo- 

 lested to bring forth its blossoms and mature its 

 fruit.' ' American Agriculturist, 1884, page 131. 



Seed Fertilizers Under the head of " Horticul- 

 tural Myths," Woodrow, in his " Gardening in 

 India, ' page 111, says that the people of that 

 country believe that in order to obtain fine mangoes 

 it is necessary to soak the seed in honey and water 

 it with milk. 



A. few years ago a Boston fertilizer company 

 advertised a "seed manure' 1 which they claimed 

 would impart wonderful vitality to the young 

 plants, and increase the yield of the crop twenty- 

 five per cent. Upon trial at the Iowa experiment 

 station, no perceptible effect from its use could be 

 observed upon the young plants. Various things 

 have been recommended from time to time for the 

 purpose of imparting nutriment to seeds, in order to 

 secure more vigorous plants, but no good evidence 

 exists that any of them are at all beneficial. Every 

 properly developed seed appears to contain all the 

 food the young plant can use until it becomes 

 established in the soil. There are several sub- 

 stances, including chlorine and lime water, which 

 quicken the germination of seeds, but there seems 

 to be nothing except a proper amount of air, heat 



