68 e ANNUAL Report. 
loses its germinating properties if shelled pe sacked ‘nna in a E 
season for planting. Stock seed should be selected while tae 
then more readily detect the earliest and best ears. te 
Cress; Endive, Kohl Rabi ant Leek are eee grown in Rurope. 
here i is grown in England. 
Cucumbers, Melons and Squashes 
are handled so nearly alike that one description will suffice for all; surppeeiengy! ; 
of course, that having good stock seed, you know how to grow the crop. Com- 
plete isolation is demanded for all the sorts, and it is more impersane with the — 
squash family than any of the other vines. 
The crop being grown, we first go over the field and select and ia away the 
most perfect specimens for stock seed, to be used in growing a seed crop the next 
year. When the crop is thoroughly ripe, they are either hauled to a convenient 
place or cut open and the seed taken out in the field. With melons and cucum- 
bers the latter plan is pursued, as they break badly in handling. Prepare tables 
to work.on in cutting and taking out the seed. The whole inside is scooped out 
and put in barrels, and water poured over the mass sufficient to just cover it, and 
left in warm autumn weather about forty-eight-hours, or until decided fermenta- 
tion takes place. The whole is then thoreughly stirred up with a stick, allowed 
to settle half an hour, and the top poured off, which carries with ita large portion 
of the pomace. Use water freely now, filling the barrel full, and continue stirring 
and pouring off until the seeds are clean. To begin with, the barrels should not 
be filled more than half full of the pomace, and after fermenting, the barrel should 
be filled full of water before pouring off, as the more the liquid is reduced with 
water the more readily the seed separates from the pulp and settles to the bottom. 
This is the only plan we pursue in cleaning melon and cucumber, and it has 
the advantage of disposing of all light seeds, as nothing but the perfect ones 
settle to the bottom. 
In separating the squash seed from the pulp, we are compelled to use a taieae 
der enclosed in a box made to conform to its shape and size. The cylinder is 
spiked with teeth about three inches long, with corresponding spikes in the con- 
cave of the box, and set so that when the cylinder is turned, the spikes pass like 
the arrangement of cylinder and concave in a threshing machine. The seeds and 
pulp are thrown in at one end, and while the cylinder is turned with a crank, 
gradually passes out at the other into a barrel, from which the final washing can 
be done. As soon as washed the seeds are spread out in the sun if the weather 
permits, or over fire heat under shelter if it is cloudy. We use frames 3x6 feet, 
covered with cotton cloth. If we are drying out of doors we always pile them up 
one frame on top of another, as many as two men can carry, and take to the dry 
house over night, as a sudden storm of wind and rain would cost you several days 
extra work, if left out of doors. 
Onion. 
Owing to the fact that onion seed is only considered good for one year, new 
stock must be annually grown to supply an immense demand, and the business 
of growing this seed has assumed great proportions. 
