Seed

From Gardening Wiki

seeds

Harvesting and Cleaning Seeds

Particular attention must be paid to these two points.

Seeds, to look well, should be perfectly clean, entirely free from chaff, sticks, sand, and all foreign matter, and in cleaning, much depends on how they have been harvested. Beans, peas, etc., will be more or less damaged in appearance if exposed to rains after they are ripe ; so also will wet weather injure seeds of cabbage, turnip, etc., by destroying the color, and causing some to sprout if long exposed.

In fact, all seeds have a much brighter appearance when harvested as soon as ripe, than when allowed to be weather-beaten. Hence, while it is essential that all seeds should bo fully matured, it is also important to gather them as soon as they are ripe.

The thrashing of seeds must be carefully done, to avoid breaking with the flail, and grinding under foot, especially those of a soft and oily nature. Thrashing should be done, so far as practicable, when the air is dry. In fermenting seeds of pulpy vegetables for washing, judgment is required, for while, as a rule, no seeds are injured so far as germinating is concerned so long as they lie in theiatural juice, yet if allowed to remain longer than necessary to remove the mucilaginous covering they soon lose color.

In washing, it is very essential that it be done in the early part of a clear day, that the seeds shall not be long wet by water, lest some may sprout, and hence be spoiled. Never put seeds away in bulk, until they are thoroughly free from moisture.

Storing Seeds