24 THE NURSERY-MANUAL 



Seeds should be thoroughly ripe and dry before they are 

 stored. Those of pulpy fruits are removed and cleaned. If 

 the seed-vessels are dry and hard, seeds may be left in them 

 till sowing time, but usually they are removed. 



Hard seeds, as of trees and nuts, may be buried as explained 

 on page 35. Most seeds, however, are stored dry in paper 

 bags or boxes in a cool dry room. The receptacles should be 

 tight to keep out weevils ; if there are any signs of bug work, 

 a little bisulfide of carbon may be poured in the receptacle, 

 and the vapor of it will destroy animal life. This material is 

 inflammable, and it should be kept away from flames. 



If seeds at storing time are moist and the weather is damp, 

 they may be lightly kiln-dried before put away for winter. 

 Rarely are dry seeds injured by freezing. Seedsmen sometimes 

 keep large and more or less fleshy seeds, as musas, in fine dry 

 sawdust, chaff or other material that will insure equable con- 

 ditions and prevent too great desiccation. 



2. SEED-TESTING 



While it is not the province of this Manual to discuss the 

 question of the testing of seeds, a few hints on the subject may 

 be acceptable, particularly in the bearing of the remarks on 

 seed-sowing. Seed-testing is for two purposes: to determine 

 the germinating power or growing power of the seeds; to 

 discover the purity or quality of the sample in respect to 

 admixtures, weed seeds, foreign materials and adulteration, 

 a process often called " seed analysis." 



Testing for viability 



Germination is complete when the plantlet begins to assume 

 true leaves and to appropriate food directly from the soil. 

 The testing of seeds is not always concerned with germination, 

 but with the simple sprouting of the samples. Many seeds 



