46 HORTICULTURE FOR SCHOOLS 



tated by the boring of holes in the bottom of the box. The 

 box should be covered with wire netting to keep out mice and 

 other animals and buried with the top about four inches below 

 the surface of the ground in well-drained soil, preferably on 

 the shady side of a building. It is well to have the stratified 

 seed exposed to weather action, for in cold climates frost and 

 moisture crack the shell, and in warm climates warmth and 

 moisture soften and split the shell so that at the proper time 

 the seeds can sprout. Some nurserymen stratify large quan- 

 tities of seeds in pits. The principle is the same as when 

 boxes are used. Apple and pear seeds and others of a similar 

 nature should not be allowed to dry out, but should be strati- 

 fied as soon as freed from the pulp. Apple and pear seed are 

 frequently stored and shipped in powdered charcoal. They 

 should be kept in a cool place, an ice-house being very suitable. 



59. Germination of seeds. For the germination or 

 sprouting of the seeds, it is necessary that they be viable, 

 and that certain favorable external conditions be present. 



60. Viability. When a seed possesses the power to grow 

 under proper conditions into a mature plant, it is said to be 

 viable. A number of factors affect the viability of seeds, 

 such as the maturity of the seed, climatic conditions* age of 

 the seed, methods of storing, and mechanical injury. 



It is necessary that the seed be mature. Immature seeds 

 lose their viability quickly when stored, and should they 

 germinate, the resulting plants are likely to be weak and to 

 succumb readily to disease. 



Seasons or climates in which the weather is fairly uniform 

 from blossoming to harvesting time are favorable for the 

 production of good seed. Early fall frosts or wet weather 

 during harvesting are very detrimental. Tropical climates 

 are unfavorable to the production of good seed. 



The viability of seed is affected by age. This is due to the 

 fact that during the normal resting period of. seeds, certain 

 physiological processes go on. These life processes are slight, 



