The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-07-26
SAVE SEEDS FOR GARDENS IN WAR Amateurs Find Pleasure and Profit in Propagating
 Their Own Biennials. MEETS SCARCITY
 AT PRESENT TIME Growers Assured of Sup rlies at Cost and of Dual
 ity and Varieties

badly mixed says the New York Tinies. It has not been at all un- common this season for a gardener to SOW a row of beet seed labeled "Bassano," and to have from three to five varieties come up. A Brooklyn gardener made four separate plant ings of Grand Rapids lettuce and got not a single plant; not seed germin- ated. Another planted Golden Ban- tam corn bought from an old and re- liable seed house, at the rate of seven grains to the hill, and got not more than three stalks to a hill, and in some hills were even fewer. In a pint of bean seed, labeled "Bounti- full" the buyer found stringless green pod, red valentine, dwarf horticultu- ral, Longfellow, and rustproof white wax. Many seed producers seem to have taken advantage of war condi- tions to get rid of any seed they had on hand, old and new, and percen- | tages of germination in all sorts has been distressingly low.
 The outlook, according to the De- partment of Agriculture, is that seeds will be scarcer, in larger demand, and higher in price next year than this.
 "The disturbing effect of the world war has been very great on the nor nal course of the seeds business" |" says a bulletin just issued. Tn few | enterprises had the civilized nations been bound into a more compact unit than in the growing and handling of seeds. Each slight variation of cli- mate and social condition had been taken into account in an attempt to | locate the regions where the various seeds should be grown. Each of the many species of plants grown in gar l dens became a separate problem, and l in many cases varietal characteristics were considered in determining the place and manner of handling the crop. The necessity for readjust- ment and relocation of growing sour ces has been largely met but in ad- dition to these difficulties the seeds men have had to supply for the cur. rent year a very much increased de- mand. This arose from the greatly enlarged paintings of those regular | ly engaged in truck growing and market gardening and from the stim- ulated plantings made by city and village residents under the home SdIuSL anu NdCdHI lOL campaign. II seems desirable that, where feasible gardeners should prepare to meet their own seed requirements for next Springs planting
 Until within recent years 1t was customary for gardeners to save seed Thus they were always sure of theil varieties and supplies and had the advantage of knowing that the paren plant was suited to their location anC was sturdy and able to produce gooC seed. Besides these reasons, the am ateur gardener will find the home production of seeds extremely inter. esting. Thousands of gardener. never saw a beet or cabbage or par snip at seed. To thousands nor, l lettuce radish, and oyster plan seed stalks will be a revelation O beauty and oddity.
 Very little care is required to say, seed crops of which the seeds ar, eaten, since the seed is well advanc ed toward maturity when usable. Sc lection is important in this group, es pecially to insure healthy seed. An! surplus dried seed of these plant. may be used for food
 The best seed of beans and pea , Is obtained by marking a few of tn, finest plants with a bit of cloth a the beginning of the harvesting sea
 son and allowing the crop of thes, plants to ripen completely. Whel ripened until dry, pull these plants il the early morning, in order to avoiC shattering. and hang or spread then in an airy, dry place until the seeC | < ho cha1 spread it out not over two or thre, grains deep, and when thoroughly dr, store it for the Winter in bags O
 coarse, open-meshed fabric hung il
 a cool, dry place.
 Some very destructive bean dis. eases, including pod-spot, are carried in the seed; so it is extremely i'm
 portant to observe the general ruI, that no seed should be saved iron
 diseased plants when saving beans
 for seed. Never save seed from pods which are not bright and clean
 The best seed corn can be had by allowing it to ripen on the plant, anC
 since single ear will be seed enougl
 for small garden, it is quite prac
 ticable to do this. Select the bes
 and earliest ears by stripping dowl the husks to examine the grain anC to remove any worms that may b, found, and then carefully fold then
 back and hold them in place bv al
 elastic band or string. Allow thes
 ears to ripen thoroughly on the stalk
 All the ripe ears remaining at tn
 end of the season in any crop a
 sweet corn should be harvested ant saved. The best ears will make pass ably good seed, and every one who's l early life was spent on farm re , members the enjoyment that was t, ; be found in parched sweet corn. In saving tomato seed, string nlan+ should be selected and the fruits al lowed to ripen past the edible sta ge but not till decay begins The seee
 may be separated from the skin an
 firm parts of the meat in a sieve. an, the resultant pulp washed away fror , the suds in clear water in a eneese cloth or muslin bag. They shouI
 be spread thinly in an airy place f Y dry.
 Okra seed for al small garden cs
 be secured best by selecting one n
 more plants for seed, picking +h,
 early pods until the plant is grow Ing vigorously, and then allowine i set and mature full crop of mods The varieties having angular nod s will split open and the seed will b
 lost unless the ripe pods are har