RAISING SEED. 183 



heads wc never gather at all, because they arc just so much 

 chaff to be got rid of. 



Mr. Hubbard. In saving cabbage seed, would you have any 

 reference to saving the seed from the centre stalk rather than 

 from the branches ? 



Mr. Ware. I think that whether a cabbage sends up one 

 stalk or more is rather accidental than otherwise. The cabbage, 

 in sending out a seed stalk, has to burst through the head. 

 Sometimes, when that sprout is coming out, it meets with 

 obstructions and will divide. It is sometimes very difficult to 

 get out, and therefore I generally cut a little slit across the head 

 of the cabbage to facilitate the getting out of a sprout. The 

 natural tendency is to throw up one sprout ; but if that one 

 sprout meets with serious obstacles in coming out, it may come 

 out in two or three. I think the stronger the stalk or shoot 

 that comes up, the better would be the seed ; and I know that 

 the vigor and life of the cabbage depend very much indeed 

 upon the vigor of the seed. A large, thrifty, well-rounded 

 cabbage seed will produce a plant as different from a little shriv- 

 elled up cabbage seed as you can imagine. There is as much 

 difference in the appearance of the plants when they come up as 

 there is between the two seeds themselves, and that is immense. 



Mr. Huntington. How do you dry them after washing ? 



Mr. Ware. I should sink them on a dry day, then spread 

 the seed out thin on a cloth and lay it on a platform or board, 

 and by turning it two or three times you will get it dry enough 

 in a day so that it may be taken in. But don't put it away in 

 that condition ; it wants to be open to the air for several days. 

 It takes a good while to get thoroughly dried. But don't dry it 

 near a stove. If, however, you want to use it immediately, the 

 seed cleaned to-day would be ready to sow to-morrow. 



Mr. Perkins. What distance apart are the rows of your 

 carrots ? 



Mr. Ware. Fifteen inches. 



Mr. Perkins. What distance apart are the carrots ? 



Mr. Ware. If I could have them just exactly as I wanted 

 them, I would have them one inch apart ; but in getting them 

 to average that you may have two or three in one inch and nono 

 in another. If sowed properly, I should not thin them at all ; 

 for there is this feature about carrots, if they are too close they 



