Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-07
Seeds Should Be Started indoors
At Once.
PLAIN DIRECTIONS GIVEN.
Prof. Northrup of the A. G. Makes
Practical Suggestions for State
Normal Glasses.

SHY OH NlOuudys uG DtEihAAAAAS AOA -
flower and vegetable garden at the
home or the school was the subject
of his remarks, which were substantial
ly as follows.
CHOOSING THE SEED.
Testing seeds before sowing is neces-
sary in order TO show whether or nor
the seeds are viable-full of life and
growth II is now too late for that;
but tho weight of seeds is good indl-
cation of their worth. The heavy seeds
are usually more vigorous and give
quicker growth. Yet in the case or
certain towering plants, we reverse
this order and select the weakest and
smallest seeds. The reason for this Is
that the tendency of cultivation is TO
make the flowers double or the flower
parts of large size; and this again
dwarfs the seeds. Therefore In select
ing the smaller flower seeds, we may be
getting the larger flowers. When we
grow plants for foliage or seed de-
velopmelt, on the other hand, we Sc
ect the heaviest seeds, while in flower
growing we often prefer the lightest,
or the weakst plant often produces
The finest flowers, though quite unable
20 produce fruit.
The requirements for the sermina-
ton OF seeds are three: Oxygen, mois
minate with less air than others: but,
as a rule, packed clay soil prevents
good termination. Take two VIDE
lnouthed bottles and fill with peas,
covered by water. Cork one bottle and
leave the other Open The seeds In
the open bottle will germinate freely
those in the corked bottle Will merely
make a beginning, or will fail alto
gesher. This shows that air Is neces-
sory for successful termination. The
soil therefore must be worked up, and
made loose and open by blowing or
spading, before it is planted.
CONSERVING THE MOISTURE.
All seeds need moist soil. but not free
water. Capillary moisture about the
soil grain is what is required. Free
water makes the soil too cold. We have
seen that by mulching the soil, or MAX
ing 1t loose on top, the moisture will
be prevented from evaporating.
But the seed must not lie loose in
the soil. The soil must be packed
close to It, This can be done by step
ping upon the planted seed bed; the
gardeners best tool is his foot. BY pack
ing the soil about the newly planted
seed. the latter Is supplied with the
capillary moisture that clings about
the soil grains.
In practise the packing Is done by
a roller that follows the seed drill. and
the mulch is formed by sweeps or
rllkes attached to the seed drill TO
loosen the soil on top. After pack
ing the soil, therefore, we must rake
and loosen the surface layer to lessen
evaporation and so to keep in the mois-
ture.
Seeds REQUIRE heat in order to ger
inmate. AS to the heat required for
termination. some weed seeds VIII ger
inmate between two blocks of ice. Or
binary garden beans might rot rather
than grow II planted this week, But
lettuce, cabbage, peas ana rahshes'
are more hardy. The seeds to be sown
in the garden will require tempera-
lures varying, with the seeds used, but
averaging about 70 degrees +. for best
results. Most of the annual Towering
plants cannot he safely planted out
side early enough to insure an early
summer bloom, therefore they shouio
| be started indoors in boxes. This is the
| case with most of the common mower
| seeds.
UNIFORM CONDITIONS.
one of the most important principles
| in horticulture. is to keep the seeds
under conditions as nearly uniform a.
| possible. Plants are like ourselves. /!
| first we eat candy, then omit meal
| then oVerfeed, etc, we shall not thrive
| SO the plant, II 1t is now warm, now
| cold now moist, now dry, ETC., VIII
become sickly and lack color.
The region at which the feeding taxes
place is Just behind the tips of the
| smaller roots. BY growing first In the
| house and then transplanting we Se
| better roots-systems. For when we
| cut off the tips of the roots, the latter
| will branch and make mass of ROOT
| growth. Transplanting to the garder
| thus develops the roots and inSures
| good growth, but 1t must not be done
| until the season is far enough adVanc'
| ed to insure uniformity of conditions
| For indoor culture use good garden
| loan one part and sand one part, TnC
| sand admits air, but lacks fertility
| Therefore we add one part OF :otted
| manure. so far decomposed that II re-
| sembles leafy soil. This gives 20 the
| soil fiber as we'll as fertility. The aver
| age school ground is solid and needs
deep spadlng and manuring before
| transplanting the seeds from the boxes
| to the garden.
In using the window boxes, fill then
| with the mixed soil, pressed down by
| board that fits into the box, plant the
| flower seeds under the smallest layer
| of soil, or in the case OF petunias ano
| other small seeds, do not cover them a
| all But cover the soil with a piece OF
| perforated paper, SO that In pouring
| In the water the soil will not be washed
away All seeds must have some COW
| oring, and the moist paper often serves
I this purpose. The soil must not be
| allowed TO become dry Water the boz