110 THE GARDENER. [March 



of February), the ground has not been in such trim for receiving seeds 

 for five months : it is dry, loose on the surface, and firm to the tread. 

 In speaking of seeds, the first thing uppermost on our mind is a repug- 

 nance to old and cheap seeds — have nothing to do with either. Some 

 seeds are said to be better for being old — for instance, Melon and 

 Cucumber seeds ; but we are very doubtful of the saying ; we don't 

 at all think it is a fact. Some seeds will keep their vitality a long 

 time, and will be little deteriorated for a year or two's rest : but 

 deteriorated they will be to some extent, and, besides, it all depends on 

 the keeping. The best seeds will be completely spoiled in a few 

 months, or even weeks, by bad keeping — that is, being too damp or 

 even too dry, and cold will injure the vitality of many seeds of exotic 

 plants, such as Melons, Cucumbers, tender Annuals, either of flowers or 

 vegetables : they are just as susceptible to cold as the bulbs of 

 Caladiums, Begonias, Gladiolus, or Potatoes, or any exotic bulbs, — so 

 that the quality of old seeds depends very much on how they have 

 been kept. We have also a great suspicion of cheap seeds. The pro- 

 fessional gardener is generally too wide-awake, and his responsibilities 

 too pressing, to allow himself to beguiled by cheap and inferior seeds ; 

 but it is surprising how many people, indeed the great majority of seed- 

 buyers, run after cheap seeds, just as they will after cheap tea or any- 

 thing else ; and cheap seeds are supplied in plenty. There seems always 

 to be an inexhaustible stock of cheap seeds. Annually, we have 

 numerous complaints as to the failure of seeds, and crops coming 

 untrue to name. On the latter point we might ourselves have some- 

 thing to say. The best remedy we recommend is to deal with houses 

 of known respectability, give the price, and stick to your seedsman. 

 Nothing we know is so dear in the end as cheap seeds : at the same time 

 the dearest are not always by any means the best. Those who have 

 a hankering after novelties may have them by paying the novel price. 

 Before sowing seeds it is an excellent plan to soak all seeds in tepid 

 water : one night's soaking will do for some ; with others, such as Canna 

 seeds, those of the Camellia, Palm-seeds, Ipomsea, Passiflora, and 

 many of a leathery texture, will want several days' soaking : this insures 

 the seeds germinating more evenly and coming up together, and it also 

 exposes at once bad seeds ; good seeds swell up quickly and keep their 

 colour, bad seeds soon look worse when steeped. Like dried and 

 shrivelled Anemone-bulbs, in one night after being planted they will 

 swell like to burst their jackets if sound — if unsound they will not. 

 The placing of seeds in bottom-heat at once after sowing is often a 

 great mistake, though done with the object of facilitating matters, 

 although many seeds respond at once to a lively bottom-heat and come 

 up vigorous and well j others will not, but are not unusually spoiled by 



