THE A WAKENING OF THE SEED 45 



ment to be the best for the particular kind of seed 

 which is being tested. 



What is the best method of keeping seeds? Find 

 out what you can about this from gardeners and nur- 

 serymen. What special precautions are taken in the 

 case of oily seeds ? Do you see any reason why they 

 should not keep as well as starchy ones ? 



The amount of water in the seed affects its keeping 

 qualities. If seeds are stored without being sufficiently 

 dried, they are very liable to decay. Ordinarily they 

 are dried in the sun. The pulp of soft fruits may be 

 removed by washing; this process is hastened by add- 

 ing a little lye to the water and allowing them to stand 

 for an hour or so before washing. In more difficult 

 cases the fruits are crushed and allowed to ferment 

 before washing. If the seeds are to be stored, they 

 should then be carefully dried. 



Seeds are usually sent to or from tropical countries 

 sealed up air-tight in tin boxes, to protect them from 

 the moist, hot air, which causes them to sprout or to 

 decay. It very often happens that the seeds con- 

 tain so much moisture that they decay inside the 

 box: consequently, both the seeds and the pack- 

 ing materials should be dried with great care before 

 shipping. 



Ordinarily seeds may be transported without any 

 special precautions. A large part of the flower seeds 

 used in this country come from Germany each year 



