Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-08-07
Growing and Preservation of Seed.
HYBRIDIzING PLANTS.

A very important matter for all gardeners
or prOpagators of plants. In order to sue
| coed, in the first place we must select from
these the truest, healthiest, and every way
the best such as are of the most perfect
shape, quality, etc., and also those coming
to maturity the earliest of their hind. The
soil and situation in which the seed plants
are grown should be good, best adapted to
to their requirements, and they should have
careful culture during their growth and the
maturity of their seed All plants of the
same family which blossom at the same
time, standing in the vicinity of each other
are liable to mix. Thus different varieties of
corn, cabbage and caulifower. turnips with
rutabagas and radishes, squash with pump
ms, ETC., are apt to mix or cross when grown
near together some will show this mixture
in the product the same season, others will
be scnsibly affected only IN the seed, which
when planted and grown shows its marks in
the product. Some plants produce perfect
or complete flowers ; these fertillze them
selves others are incomplete male or female
such require the presence of each, the stam-
nate to fertilze or shed its pollen on the
pistillate in some cases both staminate and
pistillate are found on the same plant, in
others different plants. Success in seed
growing requires a knowledge OF all these
all their requirements. Bees, insects, and
the wind or air are agents in distrI butlng the
pollen of flowers. If there is continuous
wet weather during the poisoning of plants,
much failure of fruit will result as the wet
2 inimical TO the distribution of the pollen.
No two plants of the same tribe should be
allowed to blossom in the same garden when
the seed is to be saved from either, OF the
seed will be likely to be impure.
the same tribe the same season, and grow a
sufhciency of that for several years, as most
kinds will keep good for some years when
properly cared for. Where seeds can be
| kept away from insects and anything inimical
to their vitility, the best mode Of keeping Is
/ in the pod or on the stalk, but usually this
is quite IncOnvenient, and therefore the seed
must be separated from its envelope, careful
/ lY dried and then put away. All seeds
should be perfectly ripe, and that grown in
/ pods or the like, be dry when gathered, and
then further dried before being shelled or
! threshed. After threshing, if there is the
least sign Of moisture, they should be spread
in the sun or in dry room till perfectly dry,
when they should be put up in paper bags,
or boxes of paper or wood, and put away
where they Will be subject TO no moisture or
extremes of heat or cold, safe from insects or
other Yermin Vegetable seeds thus treated
and preserved will keep sound and good for
planting for a number of years. Where
seeds are produced with feshy envelope,
like the cucumber, squash, etc. they must be
separated from the flesh by washing, and
then dried and preserved as above. The
vitality of seeds depends largely upon the
manner in which they are kept. The differ
ent kinds also vary in the length of time
which they retain their vitality some only
retain it for one year, while others will grow
when ten to thirty years old keep closely
from exposure to the open air, they keep
much longer. - Western PomOlogist.