RAISING SEED. 167 



from importation, that it deteriorates, runs out, runs 

 into seedleaf, etc., is disputed by many of the most skill- 

 ful growers in the Connecticut valley, who believe that 

 these results arise more from cross-fertilization than from 

 any other cause. It is true that soil and climate gradually 

 change the size and fragrance of the leaf in the course 

 of a long term of years, but this change does not neces- 

 sarily lessen the quality of the leaf for wrappers, if proper 

 attention is paid to raising and selecting seed. They 

 believe that the quality, instead of deteriorating, stead- 

 ily improves under the careful cultivation given to it. 

 There is an opinion held by some careful growers that it 

 is wise to occasionally get seed from a different locality, 

 say 50 or 100 miles from the section in which their seed 

 has been grown. 



TESTING THE VITALITY OF TOBACCO SEED. 



Tobacco seed retains its vitality for 10, 12, and even 

 20 years, but many experienced growers believe it loses 

 in vitality after it is 10 years old. The individual seeds, 

 however, often vary in vitality, and to determine the 

 proportion of good and bad seed, place pieces of dark 

 woolen cloth on an earthen plate, sprinkle some seed 

 over these, cover the whole with more woolen, moisten 

 it thoroughly and keep warm by placing on a mantel 

 near a warm stove. In time, the seed will sprout, and 

 the proportion of good seed can be determined, as the 

 sprouts will readily show against the dark ground of the 

 woolen. Another test is to drop some seeds on a hot 

 stove, or other hot iron. The good seed will pop and 

 hop around like popcorn, while the poor will lie still 

 and burn. Still another test is to place some seed in 

 the palm of the hand and rub it. If good, the seed will 

 feel like grains of sand, and if bad, it will rub into dust. 



The number of seed in an ounce varies with the 

 varieties and conditions under which it was grown. We 



