430 STATE POMOLOaiCAL SOCIETY. 



gardener finds he must take especial pains with this prepared seed ; a little too 

 much or too little water, a too higli or too low temperature, and his seeds are 

 gone. So he only uses it in cases wliere lie is anxious to obtain plants from 

 doubtful seed. Last year failing to receive turnip seed in season, we were 

 obliged to get some two pounds from the vilhxge store, which upon testing we 

 found very poor, not ten per cent starting. As our seed bed was an unusually 

 good one and in the best possible condition, we decided to "doctor" the seed, 

 which we did as described below, and planted with the greatest possible care. 

 That night we had a slight shower, and the third day the seeds broke ground, 

 and on the fifth day we could see the rows so plainly tliat we ran a harrow- 

 toothed cultivator through them. This gave tlie turnips the " odd judge," and 

 enabled them to win by an eight to seven vote over weeds and dry weather, all 

 through the season. A single row of unprepared seed treated like the others 

 was vei'y slow in coming and did not gain nearly a full stand, while tlie other 

 came on so well that our foreman insisted tluit two plants must have come for 

 every seed planted. The results in this case were all tliat is claimed by the 

 advertisers. AV'e doubled our crop and diminished the labor ?;e?' acre one-quar- 

 ter, by soaking the seed — a relative result, however, which only came from the 

 conditions, in the care, very poor seed, favoring weather, a perfect seed 

 bed, with early and good cultivation. We should say, then, that it is only the 

 good farmer wlio will derive any benefit from "prepared seed," while it is the 

 poor one, to whom such seeds are nearly valueless, that will be attracted by the 

 cry of double q.\'o\)^ with half the labor, and all by simply using "prepared 

 seed.'"' Different seeds are differently affected, but as a rule we have found 

 camphor water the most available stimulant, and our seed is prepared as 

 follows : 



Four or five days before we are to plant, we put plaster four or five times the 

 bulk of the seed, into the brick oven to get as dry as possible. The evening 

 before using we add slowl}', while stirring rapidly, spirits of camphor, drop by 

 drop, to about the bulk of our seed of warm water. We continue this until 

 the flakes of free camphor, which are formed as the solution strikes the water, 

 cannot be dissolved, when we add a little more water to dissolve them. Care 

 should be taken that all are dissolved. This is much weaker than the camphor 

 water of the dispensatory, but is quite strong enough. The seed is then added 

 and set in a warm place for about eight hours. We then drain off what water 

 we can, and mix the seed with the dried plaster, made as hot as we can handle it, 

 rubbing them well together. The plaster is then sifted out as clean as possible, 

 and there will be no more difficulty in sowing the prepared than the dry seed. 

 Sow immediately, and take the utmost pains to plant the seed well on well pre- 

 pared ground and give early cultivation, as it is only by combining this with the 

 prepared seed that good results may be expected. Will. W. Teacy. 



MANURE FOR THE GARDEN". 



Root's Garden Manual contains the following excellent practical hints upon 

 garden fertilizers : 



Generally I know of no objection to the use of fresh manures, except that if 

 applied heavily they trouble in fitting the ground for fine seeds. On the 



