Seeds for the Garden 134 
colored sunken or shriveled areas. Seeds showing such 
infection should never be planted. 
It has been found that the proper use of hot water, 
formaldehyde, and the deadly poison, corrosive sub- 
limate, will often destroy the organisms that are present 
on or in the seeds. Thus the farmer has learned how to 
treat the seeds of oats for the smut disease. In much the 
same way seeds of beans, corn, onions, cucumbers, and 
beets can be treated for various diseases. 
Seed treatment must be done carefully. In the first 
place there is danger of injuring the seeds ; then different 
kinds of diseases require different kinds of treatment ; 
also, we must remember that some of the chemicals 
used for this work are deadly poisonous to man. Seed 
treatment is not to be attempted by children unless 
under the constant supervision of a fully competent 
person. 
Viability of seeds. When the tiny plant or embryo in 
the seed begins to grow, we say it “germinates.” A 
seed in which the embryo is alive, so that the seed will 
germinate, is called “ viable.” Whether a seed will 
germinate depends upon (1) the maturity of the seed 
when collected, (2) the conditions of storage, (3) the age 
of the seed, and (4) the kind of seed. ‘ 
If seeds are ripe when collected and if they are properly 
cared for, the length of time that those of the principal 
garden crops will remain viable is as follows: 
2 years — sweet corm, onion, parsnip, and salsify. 
3 years — bean, parsley, and pea. 
4 years — carrot, mustard, pepper, and tomato. 
5 years — cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohl-rabi, lettuce, 
