266 GERMINATIVE POWER OF SEEDS. 



value when they have been kept two or three years ; 

 and hence the importance of procuring new and fresh 

 seeds, and guarding against any mixture of the old and 

 worthless with the new as carefully as possible. 



It is easy to tell whether the germinative power of 

 grass or any other seed still remains, by the following 

 simple method ; and, if the buyer should be willing to 

 try it, he might purchase only a small quantity at first, 

 and afterwards obtain his full supply with more confi- 

 dence, if the trial showed it to be good. Take two 

 pieces of thick cloth, moisten them with water, and 

 place them one upon the other in the bottom of a 

 saucer. Place any number of seeds which it is desired 

 to try upon the cloth, spreading thin, so as not to allow 

 them to cover or touch each other. Cover them over 

 with a third piece of cloth, similar to the others, and 

 moistened in the same manner. 



Then place the saucer in a moderately warm place. 

 Sufficient water must be turned on, from time to time, to 

 keep the three thicknesses of cloth moist, but great care 

 must be taken not to use too much water, as this would 

 destroy the seed. There should be only enough to 

 moisten the cloths, and not enough to allow any to 

 stand in the saucer. Danger from this source may be 

 avoided in a great measure, however, by tipping up the 

 saucer so as to permit any superfluous water in it to 

 drain off. The cloth used for covering may be gently 

 raised each day to watch the progress of the swelling 

 or the moulding of the seeds. The good seed will be 

 found to swell gradually, while the old or poor seed, 

 which has lost its germinating power, will become 

 mouldy in a very few days. 



In this way, also, any one can judge whether old seed 

 is mixed with new. The latter will germinate much 

 more quickly than the former. He can, moreover, judge 



