AMERICAN GARDENER. 75 



may be very great ; and, there is no redress. If a 

 man sell you one sort of seed for another; or, if 

 he sell you untrue seed; the law will give you re- 

 dress to the full extent of the injury proved; and 

 the proof can be produced. But, if the seed does 

 not come ufi, what firoof have you! You may 

 prove the sowing ; but, who is to firove, that the 

 seed was not chilled or scorched, in the ground? 

 That it was not eaten by insects there i* That it 

 was not destroyed in coming' up, or in germina- 

 ting? 



132. There are, however, means of ascertain- 

 ing, whether seed be sound, or not, before you 

 sow it in the ground. I know of no seed, which, 

 if sound and really good, will not sink in water. 

 The unsoundnesa of seed arises from several 

 causes. Unripeness, blight, mouldiness, and age> 

 are the most frequent of these causes. The two 

 first, if excessive, prevent the seed from ever 

 having the germinating quality in them. Mouldi- 

 ness arises from the seed being kept in a damfi 

 place, or from its having heated. When dried 

 again it becomes light. Age will cause the germi- 

 nating quality to evaporate; though, where there 

 Is a great proportion of oil in the seed, this quality 

 will remain in it for many years, as will be seen 

 in Paragraph 150. 



133. The way to try seed is this. Put a small 

 quantity of it in luke-warm water, and let the 

 water be four or five inches deep. A mug, or 

 basin, will do, but a large tumbler glass is best ; 

 for then you can see the bottom as well as top. 

 Some seeds, such as those of cabbage, radish, 

 and turnip, will, if good, go to the bottom at 

 ence, Cucumber > Melon, Lettuce, Endive, and 



