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T]lc Country Gcntlcviaiis Magazine 



much of the hap-hazard element for their 

 being safely and extensively applied. The 

 speedy germination of seeds is impeded by 

 the nature of their covering : thus some, as 

 those of the holly, are, in addition to their 

 own mdurated shell, enveloped in a berry or 

 pulpy mass, Avhich although buried in the 

 earth, resists decomposition for a long period, 

 during which the shell proper remains intact 

 and firm. Others, as the famous Guinea grass 

 of the Southern United States, and the pretty 

 black-eyed scarlet " seed of the Abrus pre- 

 catorius, which are used as beads in Indian 

 ornaments, on becoming dried, acquire such 

 a bony hardness, that they will lie for years 

 without presenting the least change in either 

 colour or texture, although if their shell is filed 

 through or cracked by a hammer, germina- 

 tion speedily ensues. Boiling some berry- 

 covered, as well as strong-shelled seeds, from 

 two to five minutes has been found to facili- 

 tate their vegetation. So has steeping them 

 in hot water at from 200° to the boiling point, 

 and allowing them to remain till it cooled. 

 Diluted vitriol is another agent recommended 

 for the same purpose ; so is oxalic acid and 

 lime water. The last, as well as newly-slaked 

 lime, is particularly serviceable for destroying 

 the pulpy substances of berries after their 

 outer skin has been broken, such as those of 

 the holly. 



Some, we are aware, feel disposed to cavil 

 at the idea of sowing seeds, even of native 

 plants, at the natural seasons of their dis- 

 persion, arguing that they might as well fol- 

 low nature further and dispense with their 

 soil covering. Nature, however, does not 



dispense with soil covering to seeds, for the 

 smaller ones are soon sufficiently overspread 

 by showers, wormcasts, decayed vegetation, 

 &:c., to ensuretheir vegetation, while the larger 

 seeds, such as acorns and nuts, are mainly 

 spread and planted by rooks, mice, squirrels, 

 and other animal agents carrying them off and 

 depositing them for future use, but where, 

 like the money hordes hidden in the earth 

 during troubled times, they are allowed to 

 remain, in consequence of the death or forget- 

 fulness of their depositors. Such examples of 

 nature-planting may be often seen in gardens 

 where beans or peas are allowed to ripen. 

 An excellent one once fell under our notice, 

 when, ha,ving got a bag of Ilex acorns, which 

 were allowed to lie for some weeks in an 

 out-house, the mice operated with them to 

 such an extent, that next spring young Ilex 

 plants came up in many surrounding spots, 

 some of them at distances of 200 to 300 

 yards from where the acorns were taken. 



It must in fairness be admitted that nature 

 in sowing seeds provides also for the shelter 

 of the young plants, whether grown in autumn 

 or spring, by protecting them with surround- 

 ing vegetation. In this she should be also 

 imitated wherever shelter is requisite ; and as 

 upright grassy foliage, which admits both light 

 and air, is better for this purpose than that of 

 broad leaved plants, nothing can be recom- 

 mended for growing in occasional drills, or as 

 interspread-plants, that is superior to common 

 rye for its remarkable resistance of the hardest 

 winter weather, as well as its early and rapid 

 growth in spring. 



GARDEN WEEDS. 



WHILE the excessive drought of the 

 present season has been highly 

 inimical to the growth and development of 

 most kinds of kitchen and flower garden 

 plants, it has been remarkably favourable for 

 effecting the destruction of garden weeds ; and 

 those are much to blame who have not taken 



full advantage of it, by keeping annual weeds 

 under the economic or seeding point, and 

 who have not eradicated their perennial 

 weeds by exposing every root and rootlet to 

 destruction under the scorching influence of 

 the weather. Seeds, as is well known, when 

 once buried beyond vegetating depths, will 



