Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-06-25
[Frrm lhe American AErieuituFitt.
seeds and 500 aaWlnE.

in the ground is to absorb
water the changes which accom-
Dany termination cannot take
place without it. There must bea
certain amount Of moisture, but
not too much, as this would ex-
clude an equally important agent
without the pressure Of
which, termination cannot take
place. The temperature varies
with the kind Of seed. Many
garden seeds will terminate at 10
degrees above the freezing point,
while others require still 10 de-
grces higher, before they will start
at all. We do not, however, with
tender plants, run the risk of the
decay Of the seeds by sowing
them until the temperature Of the
ground becomes considerably
higher than the lowest point at
which they will terminate. Peas
may be sown as soon as the frost
is out Of the ground, but Squashes
and Melons require that the soil
ibe above so degrees. These are
what may be considered the con-
ditions necessary to the germina-
ton Of the seed-the chemical
conditions. The act Of germina-
tion-the bursting of the seed
coat and the liberation Of the
embryo plants accomplished
by these, but this embryo plant has
then to encounter mechanical OBJ
stacles before it can become fairly
established and begin to sustain
itself. 1t should be recollected
that the whole growth Of the plant,
from the time it bursts the seed
coat until its first leaves appear
above the surface, is from the
:, nourishment contained within
the seed itself. The young plant
/, has to push in two direc
: tions, its root end is struggling to
get downward, while the opposite
end is seeking the light. 1t is evil
dent that not only the depth at
| which the seed is placed, but the
, character Of the soil above it will
3 have great influence upon the
young plant. One great cause of
, failure with seeds is too deep
. planting. Small seeds placed deep
may terminate, but the young
plant will be unable to reach the
Q ssrface, the amount of nutriment
) in so small a seed not supplying
= sufficient material to allow the
plant to grow enough to reach SO
great a distance. The young
;. plant pcrishes, and the scotsman
is blamed for furnishing poor
seeds. The other extreme, SOW
ing too shallow, may occur, but
we think seldom. The chief
trouble here is, that the young
plant being so near the surface, is
liable to become too dry before the
roots are ready to take up moisture.
The character Of the soil above the
seeds is an important point. 1t
will readily be understood that a
: terminating plant can make much
easier progress through a light soil
than through a heavy one, and it
happens with some soils that the
surface becomes so baked after a
= rain, that it is quite impossible for
the seeds to overcome the mechan.
ical difficulty. Our market gar
a deners, in order to be SURF Of q
IS stand with seeds, the young plants
l. of which are feeble, SOW many
y times more than is necessary,
u in order that tue united
y efforts, SC to speak, of a
multitude of young plants may be
able TO throw OFT the covering.
With delicate seeds sown in q
b sccd.bcl, the covering should be
of 4 light nature. The soil should
}. he largely Of leaf mould. This be.
e. ing light, may allow the seeds to
remain too dry, and 10 prevent
= this, il is to be packed down by
pressure with 4 board, or patting
a with Il spade after sowing. This
d packing may seem to be contrary
TO the statement that the covering
IF should be light, but a soil consist.
o Ing largely Of decaycd leaves, or
n dccaycd spent hops, is of M elias.
tic character and will not, like q
! heavy soil, pack 50 closely Us ia
', present an obstacle 10 the young
:" plants. Flower seeds are often
very fine aud need more care in
a regard % the character Of the soil
n and It's depth than coarser seeds.
il Very fine seeds need but a mere
re sitting Of earth oy.g them or nc
e. covering AZ all. With Lobclias
n and such minute seeds, we have
: had the best success by strewing
=, them over the level surface of the
!. earth in a pot and then covering
e the pot with a pane Of glass. The
d object Of, the glass is to keep the
surface from becoming dry. In
g gardens where the soil dries quick
d ", it is well to shade the spot
J where fine seeds are sown. Ac-
7 cording TO our experience, the
seed sold by our dealers, is gener-
ally good, and we believe that a
large majority of the complaints
II nf np,v g,,1 ,,.,.. r..