454 Of Gardens. 



the selection of proper seeds ; 2. The establishment of Hor- 

 ticultural Societies ; and, 3. A careful examination of the im- 

 provements in gardening, discovered in other countries. 



1. There is no means, by which the art of horticulture 

 can be more easily, or more effectually improved, than by pay- 

 ing strict attention to the seeds of the plants to be raised. 

 Much injury is frequently sustained, from gross negligence, 

 in regard to that important particular. It is highly necessary, 

 that attention should be paid, not only to the selection of pro- 

 per sorts, or varieties, but also to the quality of the seed used, 

 the manner in which it is prepared for sowing, and the state 

 in which it is kept ( 44 ). It frequently happens, after an un- 

 favourable season for harvesting the seeds, that serious losses 

 are sustained in the succeeding crops, entirely owing to sow- 

 ing bad seed. The defect may, in a great measure, be attri- 

 buted to the cultivator's negligence or ignorance, but perhaps 

 is principally owing, to his not using a very simple expedient, 

 namely, drying his seed. 



It is well known that in a cold and wet season, when bar- 

 ley is harvested in a raw and damp state, and thrashed in winter, 

 it will not grow in a malt couch, whereas if the same barley is 

 either gently kiln-dried, before it is put into steep for malting, 

 or if it is left standing in the stack till the month of April, and 

 has thus received the benefit of the drying March winds, it will 

 then grow well. The same observation is applicable to wheat, 

 for if it is badly harvested, it will not answer for seed in that 

 year ; but if kept in stacks, till the following year, it will be- 

 come good seed ; and the same rule also takes place, in re- 

 spect to the seeds of culinary vegetables. It is in general in 

 the power of every cottager, however adverse the season for 

 gathering the seeds may be, to preserve seeds from his own 

 garden, sufficient for the succeeding year's cultivation ; and 

 though the cottager may not have an opportunity of kiln-dry- 

 ing the seeds before they are stored, yet the same object will 

 be obtained, by exposing his seeds to a gentle heat on the 

 hearth, before the cottage fire. It is not the interest of per- 

 sons who sell the seeds of carrots, onions, lettuces, &c. by 

 weight^ to keep those articles in a very dry place, and hence 

 arises the disappointment, and those serious losses in garden 

 crops, which are but too frequently sustained. Whenever 

 any person buys seeds, which are not perfectly sound and 

 dry, they should be dried in the manner above described, be- 

 fore they are sown. 



2. The institution of Horticultural Societies is of great 

 importance to the improvement of gardening. A society of 



