12 PLANT PROPAGATION 



or viable for many years (p. 49). It must be remarked, 

 however, that the stories about the germination of seeds 

 taken from ancient tombs, as from the pyramids of Egypt, 

 are untrue. Among the seeds so delivered to the gullible 

 is Indian corn, which, being an American plant, was not 

 known to the ancient Egyptians ! 



25. Seed dissemination is accomplished naturally in 

 three general ways — wind, water and animals. 



Wind plays an important part in transporting very 

 light seeds, especially such as are provided with append- 

 ages which buoy them up. Willow, poplar, thistle, dan- 

 delion, milkweed, sycamore and similar seeds are thus 

 carried long distances. Wind also helps carry heavier 

 seeds provided with wings that whirl or flutter in the air 



"^^^t^? ^ .M^-i,^>a^t^»J^- 





FIG. 9— BRUSH SCREEN TO SHADE PLANTS OUT OF DOORS 

 Used mainly for slow-sprouting seeds and plants such as conifers. 



and thus check descent more or less. Maple, elm, white- 

 wood, box elder, basswood, ash and other winged seeds 

 may be carried several hundred or thousand feet, depend- 

 ing upon the strength of the wind. 



Water transports seeds that float readily much greater 

 distances than it does those that sink. Among the best 

 examples are apples, walnuts and acorns. Water also 

 transports seeds that are carried by wind and by animals. 

 It is, therefore, the most general agent of the three. 



Animals carry seeds in one or the other of three ways: 

 cither, first, attached to their bodies (burs, beggar-lice, 

 stick-tights, Spanish needles, etc.) ; or, second, in their 

 intestines, where the juices of digestion fail to break down 

 the protective coverings of the seeds (blackberry, cherry, 



