The Newark journal., 1917-07-26
FARMERS MUST SAVE
HOME GARDEN SEED
Declares There Is a Possibility of a
Serious Garden Seed Shortage
This Year.
BY J. s. Knox. Horticultural, Exten-
sion Division, University of
Arkansas.

Mr.. Farmer, do you realize that
there is the possibility of serious
garden seed shortage this coming
year? Then why not make a special
effort to save what seed you need
from your own garden? Save few
of the most vigorous and prollnc
plants, then select the best seeds from
these and you have an article that nine
times out of ten is superior to what
you can buy, and at the same time
you know that they came from and
that they are true to name and free
from disease. For the benefit of those
who may wish to supply their own
demand for garden seeds with home
grown product. the following diree-
tions are given:
Remember. Select Only the Most Wig
orous and Productive Plants
to Furnish Seed.
Bean and Pea.-Allow the pods to
ripen on the vine When dry enough
to rattle in the pod, gather the beans
1t is best not to allow them to become
wet after the ripening period. Thresh
out the beans or peas dry out thor
oughly in the shade, then store in
cool. dry place.
Beet and carrot.-A very few
plants OF each of these vegetables pro-
duce an abundance of seed. Select
some OF the best roots, take up and
store in the cellar over winter, then
as early as possible in the spring
transplant to the field. Beet seed
stalks sometimes become very heavy,
and ii may be necessary to tie them
to a stake If the temperature does
not reach lower mark than ten de-
grees above zero, the beets or carrots
may be left standing in the field over
winter.
Lettuce.-As soon as the stalk dies
and the seed are fully mature, re-,
move the seed and store in dry, cool
place. Seed of the lettuce plant are
short lived, and are not generally con-
sidered reliable after the second year.
okra.-Before frost gather the pods
or allow the pods to mature, then cut
stalk and hang up with pods attached
until seed are wanted for planting.
If desired, the seed may be shelled
from the pods and stored In some con-
venient receptacle.
Pepper.-Select the seed pods from
vigorous plants, and as soon as ma
ture place pods on string. or, II
preferred, shell out the seed and store
them In small paper sack.
Psrsnip.-The roots may be left
standing in the field over winter.
Seed will be produced the following
spring. When ripe, the stalks bearing
the seed are cut and hung up in a
shed to dry. When fully dry, thresh
or rub out the seed and store as for
other vegetables. Do not try to keep
seed longer than two years.
Radish.-When ripe enough to rattle
in the pods the seed stalks are cut
and the seed threshed out dried and
put away for spring use. The less
rain that falls on the seed after ripen-
ing the better the seed are likely to
be.
Pumpkin and Squash.-The fruits
may be stored in some convenient
place and the seed left in them until
wanted for planting. or the seed may
be removed from the fruits, washed
and dried Here again we must keep
the seed away from rats or mice.
Seed are good for several years If
properly handled.
Sweet Confuse the same method
for curing and saving as for field corn,
| or shell as sopn as fully dry and store
in small receptacle.
Tomato.-As the fruit becomes
fully ripe, gather, crush the seed out
into small vessel of water. and allow
to ferment for about two days. This
| fermenting will remove the little film
which surrounds the seed. Separate
the seed from the pulp by screening,
| in the shade, stirring occasionally to
prevent sticking together
Turnip-Seed OF this vegetable are
among the easiest to save. The tur-
nips sown in the fall will usually sur
vive the winter all right and produce
| SGtQ TIC SPi tao"t'Sit
1T may be safer to store some of the
| roots in cellar and transplant the
following spring. These will produce
seed In early summer, and the seed
stalks may be cut and hung up to
| dry, or the seed may be threshed
out by hand and the seed stored in
any desired receptacle.
All vegetable seeds should be
stored where they can be kept dry and
fairly cool. When stored under sucn
conditions they keep better and retain
their vitality for longer period than
when storage conditions are not such.
For further information write to the
Extension Division, University of Ar
kansas. Fayetteville.
Be sure to see this column In the
next issue OF this paper telling how
to protect garden seed from weeviI
while In storage.
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