whole tomatoes may be thrown into tubs, or tight barrels, and be 
crushed to a fine pulp. Proceed to separate the seed in the same 
manner as for cantaloupes, cucumbers, etc. Dry and store. 
The seed will retain its vitahty six years. 
Production of Lettuce Seed 
Lettuce seed is produced to best advantage from the early spring 
crop. When the seed stalks of a few especially fine plants have 
developed, they should be tied loosely to a stake to prevent them from 
falling to the ground. As lettuce seed ripens very unevenly, and as 
the first and best seeds are apt to be lost, the stalks should be cut when 
about sixty per cent (60%) of the first seeds are fully developed, even 
if the stalks contain some blossoms. When the white beard on the 
first blossoms turns brown, the stalks should be gathered. The sap in 
the stems will complete the development of the seed. Some stalks will 
be ready to cut a week or two before the others are ready. These seed 
stalks are tied in bundles and hung up under shelter, so that they will 
quickly dry out. Seed may be separated from the seed clusters by 
rubbing them out by hand. A good way of cleaning the seed is to put 
it into a bucket of water, the good seeds will settle to the bottom, and 
the worthless seed and straw will float and can be poured off. The 
heavy seeds should be thoroughly dried at once before germination 
starts. 
The seed will retain its vitality three years. 
Production of Spinach Seed 
Spinach seed produced from wintered over plants is to be pre- 
ferred; however, a fairly good yield of good seeds may be obtained 
from plants started early in the spring. 
Plants grown for seed purposes are thinned to stand about four or 
five inches apart in the row. Late in the spring, they send up their 
seed stem. As there are male and female plants, the seeds will be 
produced only on the female plants; the male plants producing pollen 
to fertiUze the blossoms on the female plants. Both sorts of plants 
grown near each other are essential for the production of seed. 
When the majority of seed is properly developed, or when it begins 
to change from a green to a brown and the leaves are dying, the stalks 
are either cut or pulled, and laid in windows for a day or two to dry. 
Treat the seed the same as the other fine seeds; that is, by rubbing 
through a sieve. 
The seed will retain its vitality for three years. 
