176 SOWING. 



titude of cultivated plants a great majority are exotics, 

 requiring various and even unnatural seasons for com- 

 mitting them to the ground ; as well as to allow time 

 for the necessary preparation of the land, as for the 

 seasonable uses of the crop. 



The vitality of seeds is more or less persistent 

 according to the qualities contained in the body, or 

 in the coverings. Some require to be sown soon 

 after they are ripe ; others retain their vitality for 

 many years, if protected from the changes and influ- 

 ence of air ; but it is to be observed, that the longer 

 they are kept in the granary or warehouse, the less 

 vigorous do they rise from the seed-bed. 



The most vigorous plants rise from the most per- 

 fect seeds. In all cases where mere bulk of wood, 

 stem, foliage, or of flowers, is the object, the newest, 

 ripest, and plumpest seeds should be preferred ; but 

 if early flowers or fruit should be desired, older or 

 artificially dried seed will best answer the end. 



Many are of opinion that provided the corculum of 

 the seed be entire and iininjured, it signifies little 

 how diminutive the cotyledons or quantity of albumen 

 may be : for as soon as the embryo is fairly born, say 

 they, it is instantly independent of the cotyledons. 

 This is only partly true ; because a seedling, deprived 

 of its cotyledons before it has expanded perfect leaves, 

 is always seen to suffer from the loss of them. It 

 must be admitted, however, that the siftings of peas, 

 and thin berried turnip-land wheat, are both used for 

 seed without any visible disadvantage. 



