The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-08-15

Seed raising by large firms has become
such an enormous industry in this coun-
try, and prices are SO reasonable for
The best kinds, that many farmers are
discouraged in their efforts to raise
home seeds, and yet it is one of the
greatest mistakes that we can make to
depend entirely upon the seed firms to
grow all of the seeds for our next sea-
Sons crops. 1t is a bad policy in several
ways. To begin with, it is cheaper to
Saise the home seeds, no matter how
low the price may be for hose i'm the
market, and it should be the general
practice to grow most Of the seeds used
md then supplement them with others
from the seed companies. We need new
varieties and new stock introduced every
year, but a good deal of the old stock
ought 10 answer our purposes. Another
bad effect this has is upon the grower
himself One of the greatest incentives
10 good agriculture is TO improve the
plants every succeeding year by cul-
tivation and propagation. 1t is a most
interesting and instructive work 10 Sc
lect the seeds from the finest specimen
I'D then plant them the succeeding
summer TO see what improvements can
be made The farmer in this way takes
more than mercenary view Of the SUBJ
Ject. 1t brings him into close contact
with nature and he actually learns TO
Enjoy his work of propagating and i'm
proving various plants
In midsummer most Of the plants that
are to go TO seed must be selected from
fhe others and separated from the gen.
eral crop only the finest specimens
from the whole crop should be chosen for
the important work of laying the founda-
zion for another years crop. Ii is even
better 10 select the pants earlier than
midsummer and give them special cult
Walton un'til the seed pods are ripe. II
does not always follow that a rank-Srow-
ing vine or plant is the best for the pur-
pose. IL is rather the pant thai is
Etocky and prolific, bearing large, perfect
fruits By Developing tls p.-nts through
good cultivation we improve the quality
aldt only for this season. but for all time.
Ne give an entirely new life and consti-
tuition TO them. whiun they VIII repro
duce in those that spring from their
seeds.
IL is not policy to gather the seeds too
early in the season in order 90 get them
out Of the way. Lex them get perfectly
ripe and the percentage that wiz yield
good results Wiz De- largely Increased
Even then many of me collection will be
small ana worthless. but these mus be
Eifted from the best ones and thrown
away.
Probably as many seeds as are spoiled
by careless methods i'm keeping them
from one season to another as frorl any
other cause. The beans and peas are 50
apt 10 get weevils i'm them that IL is
quite a risk 10 preserve them. Frequent
sorting out and lpcc,.oU must be made
through the winter in order To be sure
that the seeds are keeping well. The
seeds must also be kept i'm a dry place
where mold cannot develop on them. If
kept in damp. moist pace they are apt
10 start growing, ard their value appre-
ciably diminishes. The garrett Is gener-
ally an excellent iIace to store t5em af-
ter the season is over Gather them into
paper or cloth bags and hang them from
the rafters SO that mice and insects. can
not get at them. The eggs Of the Weevils
are IN the seeds before putting away
and it will be Necessary TO examine
them occasionally 10 Sc how they are
getting along. All of the defective seeds
Should be burned immediately--Agr icuI-
Iural EpitOm!St