20 PLANT GROWTH 



soon die because of the destruction of the protoplasm. For 

 this reason watering is essential until the root is deep enough 

 in the soil to have a more uniform water supply. The gar- 

 dener can expect many kinds of seeds to come through the 

 ground in about four days if the moisture and temperature 

 are optimum, but others may require two weeks or longer 

 even under ideal conditions. Many seed catalogues give a 

 table of dates to plant and the time required for germination. 



Seedsmen must have their seeds tested for purity and 

 germination before selling them, but seeds that have been 

 kept for some time should be tested before planting. A 

 simple method consists of using a dinner plate with two 

 pieces of cloth of coarse texture well soaked in water and 

 wrung until moderately wet, between which the seeds are 

 placed where they will absorb enough water. They should 

 be covered with a piece of glass or a second plate to prevent 

 the loss of moisture, and placed in a favorable temperature. 

 The number of seeds should be large enough to give an accu- 

 rate test. They should be examined at two-day intervals 

 and the seedlings removed as they germinate. The cloths 

 and plates should be put in boiling water in order to kill 

 molds that accumulate before being used again for testing. 



Healthy seedlings that will develop into plants with 

 strong stems and well-branched root systems may be ex- 

 pected from carefully selected seed planted where there is 

 plenty of light in well-prepared soil of relatively low moisture 

 and medium nitrogen content. These conditions make 

 strong seedlings which are a necessary foundation for a suc- 

 cessful garden. 



