Seeds 63 



CODE FOR MARKING SEEDS 



White double white tying 



Light pink single white 



Deep pink single white and single black 



Red single black 



Purple double black 



Lavender double black and single white 



Deep blue double black and double white 



Light blue double black and triple white 



Deep yellow triple black 



Pale yellow triple black and single white 



When the seeds are perfectly ripe I gather them on a dry 

 sunny day and fold each variety in a little square of white 

 paper after the manner that an apothecary does up a powder, 

 and either tie it about with a thread, or pin the ends over each 

 other. There is no scattering of seed if done this way, as there 

 so often is when put in small envelopes and carelessly sealed. 

 Each packet is marked with the variety, and its exact color, 

 as indicated by the tying code, and I get not only exception- 

 ally strong seed, but I am absolutely sure of my color, pro- 

 vided the plant reproduces true to itself. Some annuals do 

 not mature early enough to insure good seed, and these I buy 

 yearly for new stock. 



A word of advice may be permissible regarding the pur- 

 chase of seeds and plants. It is a matter of economy to buy 

 from the highest priced, most reputable firms. It costs time 

 and labor to raise reliable seeds, and if they are offered, as 

 some firms do, at three cents a package instead of five, you 

 get only about one sixth the usual amount, and they are not 

 always true to name, to say nothing of the disappointment and 

 loss of time given to raising cheap mongrel varieties. Some 

 plants bear so few seeds that they are necessarily scarce and 



