SEED AGE. ij 



must be examined occasionally to see that they do not become 

 too dry. Precaution must also be taken to keep away mice, 

 squirrels, blue- jays and other intruders. 



Large nut-like seeds or fruits, like . peach-pits, walnuts and 

 hickory-nuts, are usually buried in sand or light loam where they 

 will freeze. Or sometimes the large nuts are thrown into a pile 

 with earth and allowed to remain on the surface. Freezing 

 serves a useful purpose in aiding to crack the shells, but it is not 

 essential to subsequent germination, as is commonly supposed. 

 All seeds, so far as known, can be grown without the agency of 

 frost if properly handled. 



Fall sowing amounts to stratification, but unless the soil is mel- 

 low and very thoroughly drained the practice is not advisable. 

 The seeds are liable to be heaved or washed out, eaten by vermin, 

 and the soil is apt to bake over them. Under proper conditions, 

 however, the seeds of fruits and many forest trees thrive well 

 under fall sowing. The seeds should be sown as soon as they 

 are ripe, even if in mid-summer ; or if the ground is not ready 

 for them at that time, they may be temporarily stratified to pre- 

 vent too great hardening of the parts. It is best, however, to 

 allow all green or moist seeds to dry off a few days before they 

 are stratified. Fall sown seeds should always be mulched. 



Some seeds rarely germinate until the second year after 

 maturity, even with the best of treatment. The thorns, moun- 

 tain ash, hollies, viburnums, some roses, and many others 

 belong to this category. Some growers sow them regularly as 

 soon as they are ripe and allow the beds to remain until the 

 seeds appear. This is a waste of land and of labor in weeding, 

 and the best way is to stratify them and allow them to remain 

 until the second spring before sowing, 



Partial substitutes for stratification are soaking and scalding 

 the seeds. Soaking may be advantageously practiced in the case 

 of slow and hard seeds, which are not enclosed in bony shells, 

 and which have been allowed to become dry. Seeds of apple, 

 locust and others of similar character, are sometimes treated 

 in this manner. They are soaked for 24 or 36 hours, and it is 

 commonly supposed that if they are exposed to a sharp frost in 



