Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-08-15
SAVE THE BEST SEEDS.

AS Tue NdIAOhc o'A N
table SEEDS ripen, the best IN each
class should be selected for Seed
To get sound seed true to name'
fresh and sure to grow, is not only
a difficult matter, but it is expen-
sive as well. Scarcely gardener
or farmer but annually spends from
$40 to $50 per year for seeds that
he could Just as we'll raise himself
and at little expense. The main
point is to be accurate and careful,
selecting the best specimens,drylng
the seed properly, and then plac'
ing each kind OF seed IN paper
sacks properly labeled, and putting
them in a cool closet, free OF mice,
for safe keeping until wanted tor
use the following spring. The best
and earliest tomatoes, peppers,
cantelOups, watermelons an
SQUASH should be allowed to rlpen
fully, the seeds carefully removed,
washed out and placed on cloths
and allowed to dry out in the sun,
and then neatly tied up aud put
away, as suggested above.
For the past five years l have
saved all my seed potatoes, and
ind it pays me to do it. Instead OIL
getting, as l formerly did, seventy
or eighty bushels of potatoes
from the North, [ get six or eight
bushels of the best variety (Beauty
of Hebron l have this season.
plant these, give extra cultivation
taking sod ground without manure
using dissolved bone instead
When ripe, the potatoes are ploweo
out, and the largest, smOOthest and
finest selected. These potatoes are
spread thlnly IN a cool, dark cellar
until the last of November. They
are then put in long, narrow pits
made on high ground. These pits
are eighteen inches wide and the
same in depth. The potatoes are
put in level with the surface, and
covered two feet in depth with
earth, a trench made around the
pit carrying off the surface water
Treated thus, they come out fresh,
crisp and free of sprouts, with all
their vitality stored, ready to make
a vigorous growth and a good crop,
if proper soil aud cultivation are
had. Such seed is worth double
what ordinary seed can BE- had
for. Good parsnip, carrot, beef
and onion seed ar always scarce
and the price high, and when got
ten not always sue IL come up
ANY one can know how to cult
vate and grow yegetab e seeds
When the blossoms appear
clip of oil the small sid 9-flOwers
and in this way only the best ano
largest seeds will be formed anc
allowed 10 come to maturity
When nearly ripe, clip off the
seed punches early in The morning
and place on canvas or strong
brown paper, and allow to remain
in the sun until we'll dried out,
then clean, spreading them out IL
cool, airy room for a few days
more, then put them carefully
away. Bunch and pole beans
should be grown especially fol-
seed. Drop the bunch beans thin
" along the row. Allow ouly three
lima beans to the pole, and selec
only those pods that have fou1
beans each. In this way a supe
riOr strain of seed can be secured
worth all the extra cost and labor
IN getting them. Some OF thu
fuesU and most favored flower
seeds eau be raised after the SAME
manner; such as, lady-slipper
marigold, mignOnette, asters anC
chrysauthemums, and many Othe
varieties. 1t takes a little time
and it is some trouble, but it il
well worth it all.
In growing seeds of any kind, i
is well to remember that the sol
must be fertile (manured the yea
previously, it possible) and clean
and careful cultivation given.