Seeds for the Garden 135 



Seeds of lettuce are small and shell quickly. The 

 easiest way to collect these seeds is to wait until a 

 large number of the heads are ready to shed their seeds, 

 then pull the plants and insert the top portion in paper 

 bags. Hang them, with the heads down, in a dry place 

 until the seeds have dropped into the bag. 



The heads on a plant of salsify ripen and shed seeds at 

 different times, and so the seeds must be collected by 

 hand from each as they ripen. In some localities seeds 

 of the New Zealand spinach ripen and fall to the ground, 

 where they may be very easily collected. Ears of corn 

 selected for seed should be allowed to ripen fully on the 

 plant; then after they are pulled the husks should be 

 stripped back and the ears hung up in a dry place. 



The ten plants listed above are those from which seed 

 can most readily be obtained in the ordinary home 

 garden. 



Storage of seeds. To keep seeds properly from year 

 to year, or until the next planting time, they must be 

 kept dry and protected from mice and insects. The 

 larger seeds may be kept in cloth or paper bags, but the 

 smaller seeds should be placed in envelopes and each 

 envelope plainly labeled with the name of the variety and 

 the date of collection or purchase. A tin bread box is 

 excellent for the storage of seed ; mice cannot get into it, 

 and the ventilator holes allow the air to circulate and 

 keep the seeds dry. Tin cans with close-fitting covers are 

 just as good, but two or three small holes should be 

 made in the cover to give ventilation. Do not store 

 the seed box in the cellar. A dry garret is a better 

 place. 



