GERMINATION 103 



8. Mention some of the ways in which weeds can be propagated 

 by careless farmers. 



9. Why are so many strange weeds or other new plants found first 

 along railroad tracks ? 



10. Account for the absence of weeds in forests and groves. 



11. Suggest ways for checking the propagation of weeds, and of 

 stopping their introduction. 



GERMINATION 



MATERIAL. Seed of any kind that will germinate readily and with 

 a moderate degree of heat. Corn, oats, cotton, beans, mustard, will 

 any of them answer. Six or eight ordinary preserving jars, or bottles. 

 Some moist cotton, sawdust, or layers of blotting paper, or old flannel. 

 Some vaseline, or, if this is not at hand, lard. 



137. Conditions of Germination. If kept perfectly dry, 

 seed may sometimes be preserved for months, or even 

 years. Peas have been known to sprout after ten years, 

 red clover after twelve, and tobacco after twenty. Ordi- 

 narily, however, the vitality of seeds diminishes with age, 

 and in making experiments it is best to select fresh ones. 

 The ones used for comparison should also, as far as pos- 

 sible, be of the same size and weight. 



138. Moisture. Can seeds have too much moisture ? 

 To answer this question drop a number of dry grains of 

 corn, oats, or other convenient seed, into a bottle or other 

 vessel with a bedding of cotton or paper that is barely 

 moistened, and an equal number of soaked seeds of the same 

 kind into another vessel with a saturated bedding of the 

 same material. In a third vessel place the same number 

 of soaked seed, covering them partially with water, and in 

 a fourth cover the same number entirely. Label them I, 

 2, 3, and 4, and keep all together in a warm and even 

 temperature, and note the rate of germination in the dif- 

 ferent vessels. 



139. Air. Next arrange in a similar manner a glass 

 jar containing the same kind of seed as before, using a 

 sufficient quantity to fill it at least half full. The vessel 

 should be large enough to hold at least a liter (about one 

 quart). Seal it hermetically so as to prevent the access of 



