SEED, 



THE first essential of seed is freshness. Some 

 seed will retain life for two or more years, but the 

 majority of seed are best planted if not more than 

 one year old. As to the age we must rely upon the 

 seedsmen, so be sure that the reputation of the 

 dealer is good. Seed sold in extraordinarily cheap 

 packages are nearly always poor seed and are 

 simply discarded by good seedsmen, purchased 

 by the conscienceless dealers, and put up in new 

 papers to prove a disappointment to the gardener. 

 Seed can be tested by throwing them on a hot coal 

 or by placing them in a pail of water. If they 

 burn with a crackle, they are likely to be a good 

 lot of seed, and if they sink to the bottom of the 

 pail, they can be depended upon usually to germi- 

 nate. It is dangerous for an amateur to depend 

 upon seed of his own saving, for much skill and 

 experience is required to save good seed and an 

 amateur may lose a great deal of valuable time 

 waiting for the seeds which never germinate. It 



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