AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 73 



late-sown turnips are often found to stand the winter unharmed, 

 and at the opening of spring to run immediately up to seed. 

 Early cabbage-plants that have been wintered also exhibit this 

 tendency. Very early-sown beets and carrots often throw up 

 seed-stems in the course of the first summer. Such seeds ac- 

 quire an obstinate impulse in the wrong direction, which years 

 of careful cultivation will scarcely suffice to overcome. 



Climate has also an important influence in this respect. 

 Heavy oats are not commonly raised in a hot, dry climate. In 

 such a climate, fleshy, thick-leaved summer cabbages, of which 

 the seed is saved through consecutive seasons, are not perpetu- 

 ated, but, losing their improved cabbage habit, become leathery 

 and worthless ; and radishes are apt to become mere sticks ; 

 though, in regard to the latter, it is probable that, if it were 

 deemed worth while, this climatic injury might be counteracted 

 by wintering the seed-roots, or by a vigorous system of trans- 

 planting them with care and frequency. The refusal of lettuces 

 to- head finely when sown so late as to carry the period of ma- 

 turing beyond the warmth of spring into the strong heat of 

 summer, is due to the same cause. 



STOCK OR CHARACTER. 



When, in speaking generally, we say that certain vegetables 

 are of " good stock," we mean that they are of good quality for 

 consumption, and, with ordinary care, productive. But when 

 we use this expression in reference to a particular variety, we 

 may or may not include the idea of its intrinsic character ; but 

 we always mean that it has the true form, and the quality, 

 whether good or bad, of its proper variety, and is in all respects 

 free from intermixture. We sometimes in this connection call 

 it, perhaps more accurately, " pure" or " genuine stock." In 

 this work the terms " good stock" are intended to express both 

 excellence of character and purity of kind. 



From what has been remarked, it becomes plain that it is 

 even more important to obtain seeds of good stock than seeds 

 that will be certain to grow. It is also plain that there is some 

 extra risk of injury to seeds raised in private or market gar- 

 dens, from which vegetables are gathered for use or sale ; so 



D 



