CHAPTER IV 



SEEDS AND SEED SOWIXti. TRANSPLANTING 



34. Quality of the Seed. The importance of plantino; 

 good seed cannot be ovei'cstimatcd, because upon the .selec- 

 tion of the .seed may depend the success or failure of the 

 crop, h'everal factors determine the qualitj' of the seed; the 

 most important are viahility and irnth to nmuc and type. To 

 have a hif^h percentage of germination the seed must be 

 viable, i.e., must have tlie ability to germinate under average 

 conditions and grow into seedlings. The .seed must be true 

 to name, that is, it should produce plants of the variety for 

 which it is purchased. It must be true to type, or strain. 

 Most varieties ,of vegetables and fruits have a number of 

 types; it is undesirable that a planting of any crop should 

 be a mixture of several types. 



The average of good .seed is reasonably free from weed 

 seeds and dirt, but the grower sliould Ije sure that his seed 

 is clean before planting it. 



The growing of .seeds at home is cjuite extensively prac- 

 ticed and with good results if tlie grower has a definite, 

 fixed idea as to the type of plant which he wishes to 

 propagate. When selecting fruits for their seeds, the 

 grower sliould select the plant for its good qualities rather 

 than select the biggest and finest fruits regardless of the 

 plant upon which they have been grown. If the plant is 

 not vigorous and does not possess desirable qualities, it is 

 probable that the seed saved, even though the fruits be 



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