SEEDS AND SEED GROWING 83 



and if warm so much the better for tropical seeds. The 

 temperature and condition of a good living room are almost 

 ideal for storing all kinds of garden seeds. Most if not all 

 of our garden seeds are unimpaired by even severe freezing 

 when perfectly dried out. In a moist place garden seeds 

 lose their germinating qualities more quickly than when 

 they are kept dry. 



Changing Seed. There are locations so well adapted 

 to certain particular crops that some varieties seem to lose 

 nothing of their pristine vigor and productiveness when 

 grown there for many years, or they may be greatly im- 

 proved in such locations; but as a rule it is a good plan 

 to change seed occasionally, and it often results in increased 

 productiveness. This seems to be a fact, yet the reason 

 for it is not so plain. 



Stock Seed. When seed-raising is a large business it 

 is out of the question to have all the specimens 

 planted, perfect in every respect, but nothing should be 

 planted except it is near the desired type. Each year 

 enough perfect specimens, or those closely approximating 

 perfection, should be selected to produce the seed for the 

 grower's use the following season. In this way the quality 

 of the grower's seed stock is kept up, and without such 

 care the stock of seed is liable to deteriorate seriously. 

 Seed so selected and improved from year to year is termed 

 stock seed. 



Seedsmen's Specialties. Most seed growers and dealers 

 have some few kinds of seed in which they are especially 

 interested. These they select with more than ordinary 

 care. It is always desirable to order seed of our specialties 

 from those making a specialty of our favorite kinds unless 

 we raise them ourselves. To secure the best it is well to 

 order early in the season. 



