1 8 THE NURSERY-BOOK. 



the meantime, better results will follow. While still wet the 

 seeds are sown. Scalding water may be poured over locust 

 and other seeds to soften their covering. But 

 seeds should not be boiled, as sometimes 

 recommended. 



The germination of bony seeds is often 

 facilitated by filing or cutting away the shell 

 very carefully near the germ, or by boring 

 Fig 7 Bored Seed- tnem - A bored nelumbium seed is shown in 



Fig. 7. 



Treatment with various chemicals has been recommended for 

 the purpose of softening integuments, and also for some power 

 which strong oxidizing agents are supposed to exert in hasten- 

 ing germination itself, but the advantages are mostly imaginary. 

 Secret and patented "germinator" compounds had better be 

 avoided. 



Pulpy and fleshy coverings should be removed from seeds 

 before sowing. Soft fruits, like berries, are broken up or 

 ground into a pulp and the seeds are then washed out. This 

 separation may be performed immediately in some cases, but 

 when the pulp adheres to the seed, the whole mass is usually 

 allowed to stand until fermentation and partial decay has 

 liberated the seeds. The pulp will then rise, in most instances, 

 leaving the seeds at the bottom of the vessel. Seeds can be 

 liberated quickly by adding a stick of caustic potash to each pail 

 of water. After the mass has stood an hour or so, the seeds can 

 be rubbed out easily. Kven tomato seeds can be cleaned with 

 safety in this manner, Seeds which have thin coverings, as the 

 viburnums and many haws, can be prepared by rubbing them 

 through the hands with sharp sand. Or the sca'nt pulp of such 

 seeds may be allowed to rot off in the stratification box. Fleshy 

 coverings of hard and bony seeds may be removed by macera- 

 tion. Allow them to stand in water at a temperature of about 

 75 for one to three weeks, and then wash them out. Resin- 

 ous coverings are sometimes removed by mixing the seeds with 

 fresh ashes or lime, or by treating them with lye. Hard, thick- 

 walled seeds are rarely injured by the decay of the pulpy cover- 



