SOAKING FRUIT SEED CRACKING HARD SEED 29 



Soaking Fruit Seed. Frequently germination may be 

 hastened by soaking the seed in warm water for some time 

 before planting. It is a process, however, not generally 

 practiced except with imported seed, as it is attended with 

 some risk. Where soaking is done the water ought to 

 be kept near one hundred degrees Fahrenheit, and changed 

 at least once each day. If the water is allowed to become 

 stagnant, the seeds may be coated with a slime mold 

 resulting in a rapid deterioration of germinating power. 

 Twenty-four to forty-eight hours is usually enough for 

 the smaller seed, while the large seed may be soaked from 

 three to ten days. When removed from the water they 

 should be planted immediately and not allowed to shrivel. 

 Olive seed are sometimes helped in germinating by soaking 

 for two days in a four per cent solution of caustic potash. 



Cracking Hard Seed. Most hard seeds may be cracked 

 before planting to hasten germination. The embryo should 

 not be removed from the shell but a crack made just large 

 enough to allow moisture to enter. Many hard-shelled 

 seeds require months to absorb sufficient moisture to 

 force open the shell. The hammer should not be used to 

 crack the seed, but a small vise in which each one may 

 be tightened just enough to start an opening. 



Testing Seed. Much has been said about testing fruit 

 seed before planting. The prevailing opinion among the 

 best nursery growers is that the practice is not worth 

 while. So many conditions enter in, so much time must 

 be consumed in making the test, that results have seldom 

 been satisfactory. Germinating tests made in green- 

 houses or hot beds in the winter never correspond to the 



