Seeds for the Garden 135 
Seeds of lettuce are small and shell quickly. The 
easiest way to collect these seeds is to wait until a 
large number of the heads are ready to shed their seeds, 
then pull the plants and insert the top portion in paper 
bags. Hang them, with the heads down, in a dry place 
until the seeds have dropped into the bag. 
The heads on a plant of salsify ripen and shed seeds at 
different times, and so the seeds must be collected by 
hand from each as they ripen. In some localities seeds 
of the New Zealand spinach ripen and fall to the ground, 
where they may be’ very easily collected. Ears of corn 
selected for seed should be allowed to ripen fully on the 
plant; then after they are pulled the husks should be 
stripped back and the ears hung up in a dry place. 
The ten plants listed above are those from which seed 
can most readily be obtained in the ordinary home 
garden. 
Storage of seeds. To keep seeds properly from year 
to year, or until the next planting time, they must be 
kept dry and protected from mice and insects. The 
larger seeds may be kept in cloth or paper bags, but the 
smaller seeds should be placed in envelopes and each 
envelope plainly labeled with the name of the variety and 
the date of collection or purchase. A tin bread box is 
excellent for the storage of seed; mice cannot get into it, 
and the ventilator holes allow the air to circulate and 
keep the seeds dry. Tin cans with close-fitting covers are 
just as good, but two or three small holes should be 
made in the cover to give ventilation. Do not store 
the seed box in the cellar. A dry garret is a better 
place. 
