THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 213 
an inch apart. If the holes are placed half an inch 
apart, they may be one inch from the sides and ends. 
This will give a board of the above dimensions a neat 
appearance. On each side of the board, nail a strip of 
heavy tin or galvanized iron that has been bent to form 
a groove in which to 
shde a pane of glass 
to cover the surface. 
of the board. 
Resting period of Fie. 117. A Seed Board 
u, grooved strips for holding glass; b, glass cover; 
seeds. Seeds usually c, holes half an inch deep for holding the seeds 
require a season of 
rest before they germinate. The seeds of most of our 
common field and garden plants will begin growth soon 
after they mature, but germination of the seeds of many 
of our native plants seldom takes place before the second 
spring orsummer. Some seeds will remain in the ground 
for several years before they germinate. It may be nec- 
essary for the seed coat to decay or for the hard covering 
to be opened by the frost. 
Vitality of seeds. Seeds gradually lose their vitality. 
Onion seeds are of little value after the second year. 
Cucumber seeds, if kept dry and in good condition, will 
retain their vitality for ten years. 
Testing seeds. Seeds that were not mature when gath- 
ered, those that are too old, and such as have not been 
kept under proper conditions, may not germinate at all 
or may produce weak seedlings. When the quality of 
seeds is suspected, they should be tested. 
