IV. CULTIVATION IN GENERAL. 



proportion of your seed is sound. But there is this to be 

 said j that, with strong heat under, and with such com- 

 plete protection above, seeds may come up that would not 

 come up in the open ground. There may be enough of 

 the germinating principle to cause vegetation in a hot- 

 bed, and not enough to cause it in the open air and cold 

 ground. Therefore I incline to the opinion that we 

 should try seeds as our ancestors tried Witches ; not by 

 fire, but by water ; and that, following up their practice, 

 we should reprobate and destroy all that do not readily 

 sink. 



SAVING AND PRESERVING SEED. 



72. THIS is a most important branch of the Gardener's 

 business. There are rules applicable to particular plants. 

 Those will be given in their proper places. It is my 

 business here to speak of such as are applicable to all 

 plants. 



73. First, as to the saving of seed, the truest plants 

 should be selected j that is to say, such as are of the most 

 perfect shape and quality. In the Cabbage we seek small 

 stem, well-formed loaf, few spare, or loose, leaves ; in 

 the turnip, large bulb, small neck, slender-stalked leaves, 

 solid flesh, or pulp j in the radish, high colour (if red 

 or scarlet), small neck, few and short leaves, and long 

 top. The marks of perfection are well known, and none 

 but perfect plants should be saved for seed. The case is 

 somewhat different as to plants, which are some male and 



