CHE REFERENCE LIBRARY - Pole Shift Survival Information

treated in this way. They are soaked for twenty-four or
t.hirty-six hours, anti it is ~~m~monly thought that if they
.
are tXpoSt?d to a sharp fiU,it lil tilt: -vthei I.lbW .I&-- better results
will follow. While still wet the seeds are sown. Scalding
water ma>’ be poured over locust md other seeds to soften their
coverings, but. setds should not be boiled, as sometimes recommended.
The germination of bony seeds is often facJita.ted by filing
or cutting away the shell very carefully near the germ, or by
boring them. A bored nelumbo seed is shown in
Fig. “0. Moonflower and canna seeds are simila.rly
t rcated (page 22).
‘l’rc~at.rnent with various chemicals has been
recommended for the purpose of softening integ-
FIG. 20. Ihred IlmentS, ;lnd a 1 so * f or some power which strong
wed.
oxidizing agents are supposed to exert in hast.ening
gerrninat ion itsfblf, but the advantages are mostly imaginary.
Z&ret and patented “germinator” compounds would better
be avoided.
I’ulp~* and fleshy coverings should be removed from seeds
before sowing. Soft fruits, as berries, are broken up or ground
into a pulp, and the seeds are t,hen washecl out. This separation
may be performed immediately in some cases, but when the
pulp adheres to the seed, the whole mass is usually allowed
to stand until fermentation and partial decay have liberated
the seeds. The pulp will then rise, in most cases, leaving the
seeds at the bottom of the vessel. Seeds can be liberated
quickly by adding a stick of caustic potash to each pail of
water. _4fter the -mass has stood an hour or so, the seeds can
be rubbed out easily after the 1Iquid has been poured off and
the water changed. Even tomato seeds may be cleaned in
this way.
Seeds that have thin pulp, as the viburnums and many haws,
can be prepared by rubbing them through the hands with