Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-04-04
National War Garden
Commission
Free Garden Lessons
NO. 15-TEsTlNe YOUR SEEDS.

. ~ 49, - tiNo 'C0h OCGDS.
The National War Garden Commits
sion says in bulletin today that it
was. never before so important for
gardeners to test their garden seeds
ar it is this year, because of the
seed shortage and also TO avoid loss
Of time by planting worthless seeds
The bulletin goes on to say . sim
pie tester can be made at home in
few minutes. To make small one
Just take a plate and cut piece Of
blotting paper or other thick. soft
paper. without printing on it, to fit
| in.o the plate. Cut another the same
size to cover over the first one. Pour
on enough water TO wet both papers
/ Count out from 10 to 5 of the seeds
you wish to test, lift the top paper,
place the seeds on the bottom one
and pat the top paper back in posi-
ton. Now keep the plate in ordi-
mary room temperature and the pl.
pers moist
Some seeds will begin to sprout in
dag or two and others will take
longer If the first lot does not
sprout try another lot. II you can
not make the seed sprout in this
way it will not sprou, in the ground
and il would he useless to plant it.,
discard It and get another supply
With most seeds al least three-quar
ters ought TO terminate
n plate does not make a large
enough tester use tray on pan Put
IN as many lots or seed as you want
to test Small lots of the larger
seeds like corn and beans. may be
sprouted in the tester for planting
In the garden TO save time. This Is
the method advised by the United
States Department Of Agriculture
II is possible. says the bulletin, that
lnnprincipled people may dump a lot
OF old worthless seed ON the market
the shortage makes this tempting
Some OF the States have a pure seed
law. which will protect the garden
ers. Endeayor to purchase your seeds
Of reliable scotsman. no matter il
the price is high Practically all
garden seeds are selling at nearly
double the price OF 1917. Write at
once for a free war garden primer
TO readers of this paper a two-cent
stamp for postage brings It,
NO. REFRIGERATION OF SOIL
Preparation Of the garden soil for
receiving the seeds in one Of the
most important things connected
with the garden, says today's bulle-
tin from the National War Garden
Commission. which is cooperating
with this paper in aiding the city
farmers
Why Is this so important do you
ask? Simply because the tiny feed
ing rootlets Of the plants must get
al through the soil to take up the
minute portions Of dissolved plant
food with which a good soil is we'll
supplied If the ground is well pull.
verified the plants roots can grow
through and reach out in all direc
tions for plant food and moisture
II the ground is full of clods it
will dry out and the roots cannot
work through dry cloddy soil very
we'll More than this, the roots can
not get any moisture out of clods
All Of the food which a plant gets
! from the soil must be taken up dis
solved in soil moisture Some one
has said that plants live on soup"
and that is about right. There might
be bushels Of plant food around a
plant but if ii Is not dissolved IN
soil moisture the plant would starve
to death
Now. to get the garden soil in
such good condition that the plants