CHILDREN'S GARDENS 



in the folds and cover with the other cloth, 

 woolly side up. Cover with glass and keep 

 warm. Keep the pans moist, examine once in 

 two days and remove all seeds that have made a 

 good start. When the germination ceases, count 

 all that have decayed and those that were dor- 

 mant and carefully record the results. This will 

 be an interesting lesson on the germination of 

 seeds with a practical significance." 



The vitality of seed is preserved by keeping 

 them at a temperature of forty-five degrees, 

 neither too wet, nor too dry. Some seeds must 

 be sown as soon as they ripen, and most seeds 

 within a year. Fall-ripened seeds are generally 

 sown in the spring, and kept in a well- ventilated 

 place all winter. Some seeds retain their vitality 

 a number of years, as those of melons, pumpkins, 

 squashes and cucumbers. They contain a great 

 deal of oil, which passes through some chemical 

 changes, which render it more available after 

 the first year. ^ 



Nuts and hard seeds are usually put into the 

 ground and the alternate freezing and thawing 

 softens the integuments and causes the shell to 

 open. 



Biennials should be sown about the middle 

 of spring, so that the young plants will be estab- 

 lished before the winter and ready to bloom the 

 following summer. 



152 



