48 Subtropical Vegetable-Gardening 



crops such as the pigeon-pea, chayote, Manila bean, jack 

 bean, tropical maize, and the like, which are at present 

 grown from seed only. If the same selection were applied 

 to these as is applied by the nurserymen of the United 

 States and Europe to such plants as the tomato, cabbage, 

 and lettuce, they would, like these latter plants, have 

 visibly improved varieties coming out nearly every year. 

 The vegetable-gardening world greatly needs a few sub- 

 tropical seed-raisers and one or more tropical plant- 

 breeders. 



SEED-TESTING 



As so much depends on having seed that will germinate 

 readily, it is very important to know exactly what to expect 

 in the matter. No vegetable-grower should omit testing 

 the germinating power of his seeds before sowing them on a 

 large scale. He thus saves time and money. The process 

 is simple. A hundred seeds are put between two folds of 

 clean moist cloth between two pans or plates and kept 

 at a proper temperature. The percentage that form roots 

 is counted after a few days. A very simple method is to 

 sow the seed in sand or soil in a pan that can be kept con- 

 stantly moist and warm. There is considerable risk con- 

 nected with this method and one needs to exercise much 

 care and judgment. The amount of soil in one of these 

 pans will be small, and easily chilled and overheated. A 

 modification of the above is to cover the soil with a cloth, 

 sow the seed on this, cover the seed with another cloth, 

 and put about half an inch of moist sand on this cloth. 

 The advantage of this way is that the seeds can easily be 

 examined and in case of their rotting, there is no delay in 



