Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-05-06
Seeds ana Seed Sowing.

MOISTURE, air and proper degree Of
temperature are essential to the Reftnina-
tion of seeds. The first act of the seed,
after being placed in the ground, is to
absorb water the changes which accom-
pany termination cannot take place with
out 1t. There must be certain amount
of moisture, but not too much, as this
would exclude an equally important agent
-air, without the pressure OF which ger
mination cannot take place. The tenn
perature varies with the kind of seed.
Many garden seeds will getminate at 10
degrees above the freezing point, while
Others require still 10 degrees higher, be-
fore 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 germinate.
Peas may be sown as soon as the frost is
out Of the ground, but squashes and
melons require that the soil be above go
degrees. These are what may be consid-
cred the conditions necessary to the ger
minatlon of the seed the chemical eondi-
tions. The act of termination burst
ing of the seed-coat and the liberation of
the embryo plants accomplished by
these, but this embryo plant has then TO
encounter mechanical obstacles 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 directions-its root end is
struggling to get downward while the op-
posite 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 have great influence
upon the young plant. One great cause
of failure with seeds is too deep planting
Small seeds placed deep may germlnate,
but the young plant will be unable to
reach the surface, the amount OF nutri-
ment in so small a seed not supplying suf.
ticient material to allow the plant
to grow large enough to reach so great q
distance. The young plant perishes
and the scotsman is blamed for furnishing
poor seeds. The other extreme, sowing toe
shallow, may occur, but we think sci
dom. The chief trouble here is, that the
youg plant being so near the surface il
liable to become too dry, before the root
are ready to take up moisture. The char
acter OF the soil above the seeds is an i'm
portant point. 1t will readily be under
stood that terminating plant can max,
much easier progress through light sol
than through heavy one, and it hap
pens with some soils that the surface be
comes so baked after a rain, that it is quit
impossible for the seeds to overcome tn
mechanical difficulty. Our market gar
deners, in order to be sure of stand wit
seeds, the young plants of which are fee
bic, sow many times more than is neces
sary In order that the united efforts, SO
speak, OF multitude of.young plants ma
be able to throW off the covering Wit
delicate seeds sown in seed bed, the coy
ering should be of light nature. The so
, should be largely of leaf mould. This b(
ing light, may allow the seeds to renal
too dry, and TO prevent this, it is to b
packed down by pressure with boarC
or patting with a spade after sowin,
This packing may seem to be contrar
TO the statement that the covering shoul
be light, but a soil consisting largel
OF decayed leaves, or decayed spent hop
,, Is of an elastic character, and will not, lik
, a heavy soil, pack SO closely as to presen
|, an obstacle to the young plants. Flowe
!, seeds are often very fine, and need NOR
, care in regard to the character of the SO
. . and its depth than coarscr seeds. Yer
fine seeds need but mere sitting of cart
i over them or no covering at all. Wit
Lobelias and such minute seeds, we hav
,, had the best success by strewing thei
over the level surface of the earth in
, pot, and then covering the pot with
pane of glass. The object of the glass
to keep the surface from becoming dr.,
, In gardens where the soil dries quickl,
it is well to shade the spot where fir
. seeds are sown. According to our exp
: rience, the seed sold by our dealers is gel
orally good, and we believe that a larg
majority of the complaints of poor see
: arises from burying the seeds too deepl
T and covering them with too heavy sol
l American AgrtcWItu1Sa.