41 



that has a natural temperature of from 50 to 54, it 

 will take 10 or 1 5 days to spring up, but this time may 

 be shortened by one half, if the grain before sowing 

 is exposed to suitable moisture and an equal tempe- 

 rature. If the temperature is increased to a mode- 

 rate degree not exceeding from 65<> to 68 during 

 this preparatory operation, the time required for 

 germination may be further shortened by two or 

 three days. 



Steeping the seed in water at 65 causes incon- 

 venience, as the water carries off from the seed cer- 

 tain soluble substances necessary to it ; but this is 

 no longer the case if it is streeped in urine or purin 

 at the same temperature, which instead of abstracting 

 nutritive qualities, impregnates it with fertilizing 

 principles ; and it has been noticed that plfnts from 

 seed subjected to this process are from the very first, 

 much stronger and more capable of resisting the oa- 

 trary influences that may arise. Another advantage 

 is that the employment of purin prevents the drying 

 of the seed if a short time only elapse between the 

 operation and the sowing. 



A good fresh seed, soaked in purin at 65 during 

 3 days and afterwards sown, rises in 5 days or at 

 the most in 7 or 8 days. But the great advantage of 

 this preparatory process is that it gives special energy 

 to the growth, more particularly during the first 

 fortnight, and it is thus of the highest importance ; 

 in fact at its first appearance, the plant is very 

 delicate and may easily be injured by insects, or 

 changes of temperature and it is absolutely essential 



