248 GERMINATION OF SEEDS. 



But we would draw the attention of the farmer, as well 

 as of the gardener, to another mode of preventing failure 

 and disappointment in the growth of certain seeds — and 

 that is, by sprouting them before they are planted. This 

 may be conveniently done with Indian corn, pumpkins, 

 mangel wurtzel, beets, &c., on the farm, and with mel- 

 ons, beans, cucumbers, peppers, and a great number 

 of other seeds, which are assigned to the garden. The 

 mode of doing it with the field-seeds we have named is 

 this : Steep the seeds twelve or twenty hours in water of 

 a tepid or warm temperature — then take off the water, 

 and leave them in a warm place, covered, to exclude the 

 light and prevent their drying, or in a dark cellar or 

 room, and the radicles or roots will shoot in a few days, 

 and may then be planted without injury. Being obliged 

 to suspend our planting four days, on account of rain, we 

 found our seed, which had been previously steeped, and 

 set by in a dark room, with radicles two or three inches 

 long. It was planted with but little inconvenience, and 

 did remarkably well. Mr. I. Nott sprouted a part of his 

 corn last year, while a part of the seed was not sprouted, 

 — and, what is worthy the particular notice of the farmer, 

 he assures us, that the sprouted corn was not injured by 

 the wire-worm^ while the unsteeped seed was seriously in- 

 jured, although planted by the side of each other. Mr. 

 Nott accounts for the difference in this way : The wire- 

 worm attacks the chit, and feeds upon and destroys the 

 germ ; but the radicles having protruded, and not being 

 to the taste of the worm, the insect attacked the solid 

 part of the kernel, where its progress was too slow, and 

 too remote from the germ, to retard its growth. Mr. 

 Nott also sprouted his mangel wurtzel seed, and planted 

 it so late as the 27th of June. Almost every seed grew, 

 and the crop might be called a good one early in Septem- 

 ber. 



To sprout garden-seeds, procure two sods, of equal 

 size, say 18 inches square ; lay one down in the corner 

 of the kitchen chimney, grass down ; lay your seeds upon 

 it ; if small, wrap them in a piece of brown paper ; then 

 place the other sod upon them, grass up — water well with 



