Minnesota Stave Horricutturat Socrery. 65 
peBeivy * 
If any man should be rewarded for his labor it is the taller of the soil; and ig 
any man deserves to go empty handed and unrewarded, it is he who places spuri- 
_ ous seeds in the furrow of the husbandman, The grower and dealer in seeds has 
then a critical and sacred duty. The bumal and the resurrection of the seed they 
sell will proclaim how well they keep their trust. 
& fis 
, 
Soil and Preparation. 
Seed growing is also vegetable growing, for the same operations are necessary 
to grow the stock from which the seed is to be produced as is pursued in market 
gardening operations. It is highly important then that the ground be in the 
best possible tilth. 
A sandy loam, or warm light soil, brought up to the required standard strength 
by the application ot fertilizers, is the best condition of soil we have any knowl- 
edge of for growing vegetables, and as far as our experience goes, is of the sort 
to produce the plumpest, brightest and best developed seed. We find a strong 
clay soil too cold and slow, and that a deep black loam has a tendency to induce 
too rampant growth of vine or stalk, which is quite apt to be at the expense of 
the quality of seed. Let us suppose then, that the soil is in the right condition, 
plowed in the fall and again in the spring, thoroughly pulverized with harrow 
and roller, laid out in straight rows, so as to be sightly in appearance and easy 
to work, and we will begin by 
The Selection of Seed Stock and Stock Seed. 
In seed-growing parlance, the roots of all biennials that are planted for seed 
_ crop are called seed stock, while the seed of annuals planted for the same purpose 
is called stock seed. 
_In selecting roots, like beets, carrots, &c., care should be taken to use only 
those perfect specimens that preserve most radically the form, color and foliage 
of the variety sought to perpetuate. And this can partially be done in the field 
at harvesting time, by first rejecting all that showed foliage of the wrong color or 
shape. Then again rejecting unshapely and off-colored roots, you can arrive at 
nearly a perfect seed stock. In annuals the selection is easier as the plant, seed 
and fruit tells the story, unless there has been admixture by too close planting; 
in which case the damage is irreparable. In selecting these stocks the greatest 
care must be observed, and it is a work that should never be entrusted to inex- 
perienced persons. It is one of the secrets of success, and the most important 
branch of the business. 
I have been assigned a subject that would require, to do it justice, more space 
than you would be willing to allow me. I can therefore only giance at the list, 
and give here and there a practical hint that may be of value to some one, even 
though they may wish to grow only for their own use. 
Beets. 
One of the most difficult seeds to procure to suit the fancy of a critical planter. 
It has a great tendency to sport, and only by strict selection of seed stock and 
complete isolation of the growing seed crop can any thing like satisfactory resulta 
be obtained. In harvesting the seed stock in the fall, the crown should not be 
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