KITCHEN-GARDEN 



KITCHEN-GARDEN 



1741 



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testing, by means of blotters, layers of cloth, porous 

 dishes, and the like, afford knowledge only of the 

 ability of the seed to sprout, not of its ability to com- 

 plete the process of germination, that is, to establish 

 itself in the soil so that it may make progress inde- 

 pendently of the supply of food material that was 

 stored within the seed coats. 



No phase of gardening affords a more fascinating 

 hobby than the selection and saving of seed from one's 

 own plants. Some individuals are always superior to 

 others, and this superiority is inherited to a greater or 

 less degree. In the course of a series of years, remark- 

 able progress may be made in increasing the returns 

 from a given area. The first necessity is to establish in 

 the mind a clear notion of the ideals to be secured. This 

 must be very carefully worked out, for if it is necessary 

 to modify it from year 

 to year no progress will 

 be made. Selections 

 should be made on the 

 basis of individual 

 plants rather than of 

 individual fruits. 

 Every home - garden 

 should be to some de- 

 gree a plant -breeder. 



Planting. 



Each vegetable has 

 its own peculiarities as 

 to time and manner 

 of planting. These 

 characteristics are con- 

 sidered under each of 

 the various crops. 



The essentials for 

 germination are moist- 

 ure, warmth, and aera- 

 tion. Light is not nec- 

 essary, although, of 

 course, it is required 

 immediately after seed- 

 lings break ground. 

 No general rules may 

 be laid down for the 

 sowing of seed. It is 

 necessary that the soil 

 be in good physical 

 condition if the best 

 results are to be at- 

 tained, especially for 

 the smaller and more 

 delicate seeds. Seed 

 must be sown more 

 thickly in the case of 

 the smaller and more 

 delicate seeds, as celery 

 and lettuce, in case the 

 percentage of germina- 

 tion is not high, when 

 the planting is made 

 in very early spring, 

 when soil conditions 

 are unfavorable, as in 

 a heavy soil or in time 

 of drought, and in 

 case serious devasta- 

 tion by insects or dis- 

 eases is feared. 



Commercial men try 

 to know their soil and 

 thoir seed and to sow 

 just right. Until one 

 has gained consider- 

 able experience, it is 

 better in the home-gar- 



den to sow rather thickly, and thin after the plants 

 have come up. Extreme thickness of sowing results in 

 weak seedlings and a very large amount of tedious 

 work to be done afterward. 



Rules as to depth of sowing may have slight virtue, 

 but they may also be rather seriously misleading. Seed 

 should be sown more deeply in dry or sandy soils than 

 in wet or heavy soils. Soaking seed before sowing is 

 not ordinarily of very great value, although it is prac- 

 tised by some gardeners. 



Seeds do not germinate until moisture has been 

 imparted to them by the soil. The movement of moist- 

 ure from soil to seed is a capillary movement and is more 

 complete when there is very close contact between soil 

 and seed. Accordingly, the soil should be carefully 

 firmed in covering. This can hardly be overdone in 



2035. Intensive plan for a fertile space 25 x 35 feet (Wilkinson) 



