farmers' miscellany. Ill 



authenticated experiments which show its effects in preventing rust 

 or otlier diseases. If such is the case, it arises probably from the 

 same cause — the rapid and healthy growth of the plant. 



Seeds will not germinate if air is excluded. The oxygen is ab- 

 solutely necessary to produce those chemical changes which take 

 place in a growing plant. Hence seeds which are buried deep in 

 the earth may remain for years in a sound state and yet not grow, 

 because they are out of the reach of the air. Facts of this kind 

 are familiar to every one. When a well or pit is dug, plants of- 

 ten spring up of kinds which have not been seen in the same re- 

 gion before. They have retained their power of germinating for 

 years, and as soon as they are brought under the proper influences 

 this process takes place. This shows that seeds should not be 

 planted too deep, and indeed experiment has fully shown that 

 seeds planted not over one-half inch below the surface will grow 

 quickest. 



Light has also an effect to retard germination. One change 

 which takes place during the process, is the formation of carbonic 

 acid, by the carbon of the seed uniting with the oxygen of the 

 air. Now the well known effect of light is to cause plants to re- 

 tain the carbon and set the oxygen free, and the effect is probably 

 the same upon seeds. While exposed to the light, there is the 

 struggle between the opposing principles, and germination is slow 

 to begin. But in darkness the carbon is separated, and that ac- 

 tion which is called life commences. 



Amongst other uses to which charcoal may be put in horticul- 

 tural operations, may be mentioned, that it hastens the germina- 

 tion of seeds. If they are sown in pure charcoal, or in earth 

 which is largely mixed with that substance pulverized, they will 

 be found to sprout and send up their first leaves several days in 

 advance of those sown in earth only. At least this is our own 

 experience, and it is our opinion that seeds which have been kept 

 so long as to lose their power of growing, under ordinary circum- 

 stances, may be revived by the use of this substance. Whether 

 seeds may be said to be alive, is to us a question. We know of 

 no form of life in organized beings unattended with specific action. 

 We are inclined to think that life is developed in them by the cir- 

 cumstances mentioned above. 



