16 SEEDS 



Thus newly sown seeds may be heavily shaded to prevent rapid drying 

 under the influence of hot sun. Fresh supplies of water must be given, 

 but for minute seeds it should be applied almost in the form of spray. 

 The slight disturbance of the minute plant by careless watering, repeatedly 

 done, before the radicle (or primary root) has had time to fix itself firmly, 

 causes many to perish. In the case of minute seeds it is best to water the 

 soil thoroughly before sowing. If they are placed in a close atmosphere 

 and shaded, germination may take place before watering becomes again 

 necessary. It need scarcely be said that as soon as germination takes 

 place light becomes essential. 



Whilst the majority of seeds do not, perhaps, require the amount of 

 care indicated above, I have thought it worth while to mention the 

 conditions most favourable to germination. For new and valuable plants 

 any amount of attentibn will be repaid, and it will not be thrown away 

 on commoner subjects. 



It should be mentioned that a gentle moist heat will often stimulate 

 seeds of even very hardy plants into germination that might otherwise fail. 

 This has repeatedly been seen in the case of seeds that have been sent 

 long distances, and become enfeebled by exposure to various influences 

 en route. Old seeds, too, are benefited in the same way. 



The length of time it takes a seed to germinate is dependent on many 

 circumstances. Newly gathered seed germinates more quickly than old, 

 and, as has just been intimated, heat accelerates that process. Seeds 

 with a hard, bony covering, like those of holly, many of the Rosaceae, such 

 as thorns, plums, apples, etc., lie dormant twelve to eighteen months. To 

 save space and trouble such seeds are frequently mixed with earth or sand 

 and left thus for a year. Bony seeds of foreign hardy trees and shrubs 

 sown in pots or boxes, if they do not germinate the first season after they 

 are sown, should be stood out-of-doors the succeeding winter and subjected 

 to all the frost and snow that may occur. This often softens the outer 

 covering of the seeds, and they germinate when warm weather returns. 

 Minute seeds almost invariably germinate soon or not at all. 



All soft, fleshy seeds, like acorns and chestnuts, need to be sown as 

 soon as they fall, or at any rate kept moist until they are sown. If stored 

 in a dry atmosphere their vitality rapidly decreases. But as a general rule 

 it is best to sow seeds of trees and shrubs about mid-February. By the 

 time they have germinated the sun has acquired considerable power, and 

 they are not likely to suffer from damp and darkness like autumn-sown 

 ones. This applies particularly to seeds obtained from abroad in autumn ; 

 still, where doubts exist as to their vitality, a proportion may be sown as 

 soon as received and the remainder in February. Ordinary dry seeds are 

 best kept in a cool dry place. 



