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:<ii:ii^^;!.* 



CHAPTER ON SEEDS. 405 



and I am informed that this season no diflBculty -whatever is experienced in raising 

 seedlings in a few weeks, whenever wanted. 



So much for saving seed which we wish to germinate readily. But let it not be 

 forgotten, that if we wish to preserve seed safe and sound to a remote period, the 

 reverse of this must be aimed at ; that is, the riper the seed can be obtained, the better. 

 Now, supposing the seed come to hand dry and hard, perhaps from some foreign 

 country — perhaps old, or perhaps from having been preserved only for a few months 

 in an old coat pocket, seed chest, or some other dry, warm place, — how are we to 

 proceed ? Still look to the softening of its shell. Suppose, for instance, we have a 

 barrel of Peach stones to sow at once some spring, which perchance have been stowed 

 away during the whole winter in the dry store of some dealer. What shall we do ; 

 crack them ? Yes, that may do, but it is a tedious operation — can't afford so much 

 time; can do for them in a better way than that. Lay them anywhere aside thinly. 

 To-day, with a water-pot, pour boiling water on them ; to-morrow let them dry ; the 

 next day again pour boiling water on them, as before. Several successive days of this 

 treatment will do. Another way is, to expose them anywhere to a heat of 100°, or 

 thereabout, for a few hours ; afterward pour cold water on them ; then dry them 

 again. Repeat the operation a few times, and you may easily have Peach trees the 

 same year from stones sown in the spring. We have over a quarter of an acre on 

 our Bethlehem road nursery, from seed sown this spring under the latter process. 

 This mode of softening shells is adapted to any kind of hard, bony seed. The heat 

 expands the pores, the moisture enters, and the work of a whole winter's freezing is 

 effected in a few days. 



There are many kinds of seeds which have not exactly "shells" for protection, but 

 which nevertheless get pretty hard coverings, if once allowed to get dry. Many of 

 the sterculiaceous and leguminous plants are of this description. I have seen, of the 

 former tribe, seeds of the Hand-plant {^Cheirostanon platanoides) remain three years 

 perfectly sound in a pot, resisting every attempt of change of heat and moisture to 

 get them to germinate ; when a simple soaking in boiling water for a few hours, on 

 their arrival from Mexico, and for a few hours before sowing, would probably have 

 caused them to spring up in as many days. Boiling water is very efficacious, poured 

 over such seeds, and left thereon a few hours ; or where there is any objection to the 

 use of such hot assistants, though I have never found it to hurt anything, the seeds 

 may be steeped for two or three days hi cold water. I have raised Virgilea luteas 

 from hard and dry seed in this manner in a few days, after being gathered ten 

 months. Alkalies, acids, and various preparations, have also been used with various 

 success in softening the integuments of seeds. I do not myself value any of these 

 means much, believing as I do that a proper and judicious employment of heat and 

 moisture is abundantly sufficient for every purpose. 



I think I could add much more of interest on this interesting subject, but the 

 intense heat and my numerous engagements make me feel that I have said enough 

 for once ; and I venture a guess, on looking over my pages, that the editor h 

 will have good cause for coming to the same conclusion. I will therefore finish 



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