PREPARING SEED BEFORE SOWING. 185 



importance of steeping the seed in water when the sow- 

 ing has, for various reasons, to be done very late in the 

 season, which operation helps to regain lost time. 



During 1894 to 1897 there appeared only one 

 important method for preparing seed, and this was 

 Jensen's hot-water method. Seeds are steeped during 

 six hours in water at the ordinary temperature; they 

 are then taken out and left for ten to twelve hours, 

 when they are steeped for from five to fifteen seconds 

 in water at 53.5 degrees C. This operation is 

 repeated thirty times in five minutes ; the seeds are then 

 rapidly cooled and dried. While the method does 

 increase the germinating power, Dr. Hollrung shows 

 that it offers no advantage over cold water. Further- 

 more, it is demonstrated that after 50 days, seeds pre- 

 pared in hot or cold water, if not done to excess, are 

 in exactly the same condition as they were prior to 

 steeping. On the other hand, it is not desirable to have 

 too rapid growth, and the practical farmers with whom 

 we have discussed the question declare that there is 

 nothing to be gained by seed preparation, as the forced 

 plant is more delicate and is destroyed by any climatic 

 change. However, where steeping is practiced it is 

 desirable to get rid of the excess of liquid absorbed by 

 the seeds which remained in water for several hours; 

 thev may be rolled in plaster or ashes. Sowing can take 

 place after a few days; a certain precaution must be 

 taken so as to prevent one seed becoming attached to 

 another, also that the plaster be not used in excess; 

 otherwise, the ultimate germination would be impossi- 

 ble. From the plaster in a dry state it has been sug- 

 gested to use it as a liquid; two pounds of plaster com- 

 bined with two quarts of water for four pounds of seed 

 is said to give excellent results. In practice, about thirty 

 pounds of seed are prepared at a time; they are subse- 

 quently left to dry after being spread on the floor. By 

 turning them over several times during the day, they 

 will not adhere to one another. 



