SEED-SOWING. 



As a rule, albuminous seeds preserve their vitality longer 

 than exalbuminous kinds. Lindley, in his ' Theory of Horti- 

 culture/ p. 79, speaking of the vitality of seeds, says : " Not to 

 speak of the doubtful instances of seeds taken from the Pyra- 

 mids having germinated, Melons have been known to grow at 

 the. age of 40 years, Kidney-Beans at 100, Sensitive Plant at 

 60, Rye at 40, and there are now (1840) growing in the garden of 

 the Royal Horticultural Society, * Raspberry plants raised from 

 seeds 1600-1700 years old." (See also 'Introduction to Botany,' 

 3d ed., p. 35-38.) Seeds should be kept in a dry, airy room or 

 cupboard, and the more equal the temperature is the better. 

 Seeds soon turn mouldy in a damp situation, and the place 

 where they are kept had better be hot than damp. A nest of 

 small drawers is the most convenient place to keep seeds, and 

 the name of each kind should be painted on in alphabetical 

 order. Arranged in this manner they are readily obtainable, 

 and there is less danger of waste, mixing, and confusion, than 

 when kept in papers loosely bundled together in a way which 

 necessitates the whole assortment being looked over when any 

 particular sort is required. 



The following excellent practical hints on the management 

 of flower-seeds are from the pen of Mr W. Thompson of 

 Ipswich, who has done much towards fostering and extending 

 the culture of hardy and other ornamental plants in our gar- 



* The late Professor Henslow doubted this statement, owing to the pro- 

 bability of fresh seeds having been mixed by accident with the older ones. 

 (See a letter by Dr J. D. Hooker in ' Reminiscences of Fen and Mere ' 

 (Longmans), p. 84.) 



