DIRECT SOWING. 45 



loose earth, place the seeds on the earth, cover them 

 with some moss, maintain an even temperature, and 

 water periodically, or better still, place the pot inside 

 another containing water. The seeds should be removed 

 as they germinate, keeping an account of them day 

 by day. 



The Flannel-test. Place the seeds between two pieces 

 of flannel, or filtering paper, maintain an even tem- 

 perature, and water steadily, either by a spray or by 

 connecting the flannel with a dish of water. 



Of late years a considerable variety of germinating 

 apparatus have been invented, but it is doubtful whether 

 any of them surpasses the more primitive tests described 

 above, especially the flannel and filtering-paper tests. 



The percentage of seeds fit to germinate differs much, 

 not only according to species, but also in different 

 samples of seed of the same species. Seed may be con- 

 sidered good if a carefully conducted germinating test 

 gives the following percentage * of germinable seeds : 



Austrian Pine ) - K 



. 75 per cent. 



Spruce . . ) 



Scotch Pine . ~) 



Mountain Pine > . . 70 ,, ,, 



Hornbeam . J 



Oak . . \ 



Ash . 65 



Weymouth Pine / 



Lime . . \ rr . 



\ . .00,, ,, 



Sweet Chestnut / 



False Acacia ^ cc 



n/r i f ' * " " 



Maple . . J 



* According to Gayer. 



