44 The Canadian Horticulturist. ^ 



poppy, although almost microscopically small, will germinate when over twenty- 

 five years old. 



The coxcomb and all the amaranthus tribe will germinate when more than 

 half a century old, and no one seems to know how long the vitality of the sun- 

 flower will last. Many of the grass seeds are good when two years old. Timothy 

 seed will grow when more than ten years old. 



Some tree seeds are remarkable for the short time they will retain their 

 vitality. For instance, those of the soft or red maple, as soon as they drop and 

 come in contact with the earth in the shade, they begin to grow ; yet, if exposed 

 to the sun for a few days they will never germinate. Just so with elms ; their 

 seeds must be sown in the shade soon after they are ripe, otherwise there would 

 be no plants. Other tree seeds are remarkable for the length of time it takes 

 after they are sown to germinate. 



Hawthorn seed will not grow until the second season after it is covered with 

 earth. Red cedar seed never sprouts until it has been in contact with the earth 

 for two winters. • 



I have often seen apple and pear seeds grow after they had lain in the ground 

 a year and a-half Mostly all the coniferae seeds also, if they do not grow the 

 first season after being sown, generally come up the second. The vitality of 

 many kinds of seeds is quickly injured by exposure to the sun. Generally 

 speaking they should be dried in the shade. 



This subject was suggested to me by the perusal of an article concerning a 

 patented germinator sent out by F. P. Dimfel, of New York ; through the use of 

 which there are to be " no more short crops," and which gives absolute assurance 

 of " perfect and complete germination of all kinds of seeds, and an increase in 

 yield of more than twenty-five per cent." The patent is a compound solution in 

 which the seeds are to be immersed and soaked for twelve hours, after which 

 they are to be taken out and allowed to dry before being sown. I know noth- 

 ing practically about the merits of this wonderful invention, but, if it restores 

 to vitality all kinds of seeds, it will certainly soon become better known. 



I have often gained time by soaking seeds in warm water for a time, yet I 

 could not recommend the practice except to very careful manipulators, because, 

 if the soil becomes very dry soon after the soaked seeds are sown, their vitality 

 is injured, probably destroyed. Shading prevents this effect to some extent, but 

 the shading of large fields is impracticable. 



Some seeds endure great heat and a good deal of soaking without apparent 

 injury. We all know that white clover seed will pass through an animal and 

 grow, years after the ordeal. I used to suppose that allowing the manure pile to 

 heat would be the means of destroying the vitality of all kinds of weed seeds, 

 but, after considerable experience, I found that many seeds, such as those of 

 shepherds' purse, purslanes, plantain and pig-weed, seem to be improved by the 

 scalding, which seems to agree well with many other kinds of seed, but to 

 enumerate would take up too much of your valuable space. 



