246 THE PHYSIOLOGY OF PLANTS 



by sowing the seeds very soon after they have ripened. This 

 may be done with advantage in the case of Taxus, Ilex, 

 Magnolia, and Auricula. In the case of strawberries the fruits 

 should be dried in the sun and then be crushed by rubbing 

 them between the hands. They should then be sowed directly, 

 after having been mixed with a little finely sifted earth. If 

 seeds are to be germinated which usually require a considerable 

 time until their testa is soaked, it is best to treat the seeds 

 by some mechanical process before sowing them. Such seeds 

 may be mixed with fine sand in a bag, and then be nibbed 

 or pounded. Experiments with different leguminous plants 

 showed that by such means the absorptive capacity might 

 be increased as much as 30 per cent. In the case of seeds 

 with still harder seed-coats a rougher treatment may be em- 

 ployed. In some cases, where larger and more valuable seeds 

 are to be dealt with, the testa may be opened up by one or 

 more cuts. 



In nature, the seeds are sown immediately after they have 

 ripened, and in the case of those which are surrounded by 

 a stony envelope, and which do not germinate in the same 

 year, they are very often surrounded with a succulent layer 

 (Cherries, &c.). In this case it is obvious that the permanently 

 moist covering to the seed will prevent them becoming 

 hardened, as they do when they are dried. We must, where 

 possible, imitate this mode of procedure in horticulture, and 

 sow the seeds with their succulent covering. But in many 

 cases this is not possible, as the seeds have to be cleaned and 

 dried for purposes of sale and transport. We might, however, 

 at least place the seeds in the soil in the autumn, so that they 

 should make use of the moisture of the winter. But this is 

 not always possible on account of the attacks of mice and other 

 animals upon the seeds, and other methods such as the follow- 

 ing are usually employed. 



The seeds are embedded in sand or sandy soil. They are 

 placed in boxes, baskets, barrels, or pots, according to circum- 

 stances, and placed in the cellar or kept in the open, according to 

 local climatic conditions. It is, however, essential in all cases 

 that the receptacle should be well drained, and that a consider- 

 able layer of sand should be placed at the bottom, covering 



