8 SEEDS AND SEEDLINGS 



the uncultivated or wild plants are not stored, tliej remain weeks 

 or months exposed to the weather and when the conditions are 

 favorable they germinate readily and grow. The seeds of some 

 plants will grow iimnediately, but the seeds of most plants will 

 not grow until they have passed through a period of rest. The 

 seeds of many plants will not sprout unless subjected to the 

 action of frost. This is especially true of many nuts and the 

 seeds of some other forest trees. The seeds of some water plants 

 remain in the water for long periods of time before sprouting. 

 When the seeds of a plant have undergone their proper period 

 of rest and have been brought either by nature or by man into 

 favorable conditions of ivarmth, and moisture and air they show 

 signs of life and the embryo plant resumes its growth ; that is, 

 it increases in size and is very soon readily recognized as a 

 young plant. During the early stages of its growth, the young 

 plant lives on the food w4iich is stored in the seed. By the time 

 this supply of food is exhausted the young plant is sufficiently 

 well developed and established to manufacture its own food from 

 raw materials that are secured from the soil and air. The 

 three most essential factors for the sprouting of seeds are 

 warmth, moisture and oxygen of the air. 



Warmth. — The most favorable temperature for most garden 

 and field seeds ranges from 85 to 95 degi-ees, Fahrenheit, but 

 it is not the same for all plants. Some seeds sprout much earlier 

 in the season than others, while some weeds sprout in the sum- 

 mer or fall and pass the winter as growing plants instead of 

 being stored until spring. The farmer has long ago learned the 

 best time for his various crops. Winter wdieat, clover and 

 grasses are soa\ti in the fall ; com, oats and many other seeds in 

 the spring. 



We all know that seeds cannot sprout without water, al- 

 though a very small amount is necessary for the sprouting of 

 some seeds. The dry seeds of some plants may be kept for 



