Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-07-19
n. Y.

Made at Niagara Falls,
N. Y.
the carbon bisulphid treatment is less
essential.
Peas.-SaYe seed from the best plants
and treat as instructed for beans. 1t
is important to select seed from plants
showing the desired characters; for ex-
ample, if seed is wanted of an early
sort, save seed of plants maturing the
first disable pods. Resist the tempta-
ticn to put these on the table. The
earliest peas will tend to yield an ear
lier crop the next year than those from
the same row that rpen last. This
principle also applies to other qualities.
III the pea is a dwarf, save the pods
from the most dwarf and not from the
tallest plants in the row.
! Corn.-Sweet corn is very sensitive
to cold and wet. The ears should be
allowed to ripen fully on the stalk, if
that is possible. before frost and should
be cured without exposure even to
light frost When early corn is grown,
as the Golden Bantam, save the earl-
est ears for seed In all cases study
the characters of the variety grown
and select those plants that come near
est the ideal for the variety. When the
corn worm is trublesome, it may be
worth while to pull the husks open a
little when the corn is partly grown
so as to remove the worms. The husks
can then be turned back over the tip
of the ear and the ear left t. ripen.
When the selected ears are picfed, turn
back the husks, tie them up, and hang
them from nails in an attic or barn
where there will be a free circulation
OF air. A few ears will usually yield
seed enough for the average home
garden.
Vine seeds of all kinds-Cucumber
muskmelon, watermelon. and squash
seeds are SO easily saved and so little
is needed by the small planter that
there is no reason. save the bother of
it. why every one should not save his
own seed this year Here, again. it is
important that the best fruits be Sc
lected according to the kinds that are
being grown. Allow the selected fruits
to ripen. cut them open, scoop the seed
out into a dish. and wash thoroughly
with water. When reasonably clean,
spread on paper to. dry. Seed grow
ers commonly allow the pulp and seeds
! to ferment in order TO clean the seed,
but this is done because it takes too
much time to scrape out each fruit
When saving the seed from one or two
fruits which will usually give seed
enough for small garden. the seed can
be scooped out nearly clean and the
form nj &c
Tomato, eggplant. pepper, ETC.
What has been said of VINE seeds ap-
plies equally to those fruits. Tomato
seed may be scooped out Of the ripe to-
mato as wellFas possible and the mass
shaken up with water: allow to settle,
and then the water, carrying what pulp
it will carefully pour off. This will
usually get rid of nearly all the pulp
Eggplant and pepper seeds are natur-
ally dry and easy to get out.
Lettuce. radish, spinach, etc.-These
ANIMALS seed ahundantly, and, here
again, selection is important. If you
are growing a head lettuce, save the
plants making the best head; Go not
use the lett-overs that have failed to
make good, as then the seed will prob
ably produce still less desirable plants
the next year. If the heads become
quite hard, like cabbage. it may be
necessary to cut the head with a
knife. Make two cuts across the top
of the head at right angles. If the
head is not hard this will not be ne
cessary. as the seed stalk will be able
to get through unaided. One lettuce
plant will usually make more seed than
there is in a scent packet, so not
many plants will be needed. The seed
ripens unevenly, and when the first
seed gets ripe the plant may be shaken
over a pan or paper and the seed
collected. When many plants are left
tc seed, they may be cut shortly after
the first seeds are ripe and laid on
sheets to ripen.
Spinach seed does not shatter as
badly as lettuce. The stalks should be
left till quite ripe and when dry be
beaten over sheet so as to knock the
seed off.
Radsh.-Early planted spring vare-
ties of radish will mature their seed
crop the same season. Late sorts are
best treated as for beets.
To get the seed tho dry pods must
be rubbed, to crush the tissue sur
rounding the seed. When there is a
quantity Of stalks the seed may be
beaten out with sticks, the stalks being
laid on sheets so as to catch the seed.
BienniaIs.
To this class belong onions: root
crops, such as carrots, beet, parsnip,
and turnip; cabbage or other members
of the cabbage family: and parsley In
the case of these varieties the plants
must be grown one season and selected
plants held over to the next season for
the raising of seed. All Of these sorts
produce well, and for the small garden
the seed from a half dozen roots or
plants will yield enough seed. In the
case of root crops, it is well to select
the desired roots from late paintings,
so that the roots may be stored when
still in prime condition for holding
through the winter.
Beets, carrots and turnips.-These bien-
malls should be stored in "a moist cellar
'or in dry, well-drained soil. so that they
will be kept cool and moist and not likely
to become either dry, water-soaked. or
frozen, or TO start into growth In all
these cases the best roots. considering
shape and color according to the variety
and so0ndpass shouid he selectad The