HARVESTING SEEDS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 75, 30 March 1933, Page 17

HARVESTING SEEDS

ADVICE TO HOME . GARDENERS .

Although" home-saved, seeds of many plants—-both flowers and vegetablesare seldom satisfactory, there are some which may be utilised with quite good results. If the seed is gathered from any and every plant in a. haphazard manner, however, the results must be more or less disappointing..

A very large proportion of flowers will not come true to type or colour unless the. plants are covered to prevent bees or other insects from pollinating them, in which case hand pollfnising is necessary. This fact may be observed in many of the common annuals, such as larkspurs, antirrhinums, j'ansics, etc. ' " ' ' '

If it is decided to save seed from any plants, only those showing distinct advantages—either in colour, size, or some other characteristic—should be chosen for the purpose. Plants showing any tendency to disease or weakly constitution should be discarded, as the offspring of such plants invariably inherit all the bad qualities of the parents. In short, it should be the aim at all times to improve tho strain of whatever plant, is to bo propagated and to eliminate any which i'ail to come up to a high standard in all respects. Seed-pods should b© thoroughly rirjo and. dry when gathered, and should be placed in thin paper bags and hung up in a warm, dry place—a sunny window is very suitable—for .a few days before the seeds are removed from the pods. Finally, place'in packets and label clearly. ......