36 



Germination of Seeds. Tests of Vitality. 



137. There is often a little delay, after the germ has started, before 



the roots get a sufficient hold 

 upon the soil to draw from it 

 the nourishment necessary for 

 a more rapid growth. 



138. In natural planting, the 

 seed falls to the earth when 

 ripe, and scarcely gets covered, 

 excepting by the dead leaves. 

 It sometimes will sprout the 

 first season ; but in other cases, 

 as in nuts and stone-fruits, the 

 germination takes place in the 

 spring following, and after ex- 

 posure to winter rains and in 

 cold climates to the frost. It 

 is a safe rule to follow this ex- 

 ample, by planting or sowing 

 the seeds while they are still 

 fresh, and especially those that 

 ripen early the same season. 



139. As seeds of trees are 

 liable to lose their vitality by 

 keeping, they should be tested 

 in doubtful cases. If dry and 

 shriveled, they are probably 

 dead. The best way to ascer- 

 tain whether they are alive or 

 not is to spread them upon 

 flannel, cover them with an- 

 other piece of flannel, and, 



after moistening them, place them in a dark and warm place. The 

 proportion that sprout shows the relative quantity that are alive, 

 and sometimes the price paid for tree seeds is governed by the re- 

 sults of this test. 



24. Modes of Germination of different kinds 

 of Seeds. 



i, A, the seed, with germ at e, and cotyle- 

 dons, a, and c. 13, a first leaf. C, the first 

 pair, ii, first leaves of the ash. Hi, leaves 

 that come out, the external covering of the 

 seed being left in the ground. The cross in 

 each figure shows the place of the earth's 

 surface. 



