“But take the case of large seed, like corn for example.  Corn is planted just so far apart and a few seeds in a place.  With such a method of planting the matter of per cent, of germination is most important indeed.

“Small seeds that germinate at fifty per cent. may be used but this is too low a per cent. for the large seed.  Suppose we test beans.  The percentage is seventy.  That per cent. would pass you in school, but it does not pass muster here.  For if such low-vitality seeds were planted, we could not be absolutely certain of the seventy per cent. coming up.  But if the seeds are lettuce go ahead with the planting.  Peter will pass around these germinating per cent. tables which he has printed for you.  I’d advise you to paste these in your garden diaries.  After a test refer to this table which is from a United States Agricultural Dept. list for seeds not over one year old.  You then know at once whether the seed is worth using.

-------------------------------------------------------

-
PER CENT.  OF GERMINATION
--------------------------------------------------------
Beans         90 | Leek           80 | Pumpkin        87
Cabbage       90 | Lettuce        85 | Radish         90
Carrots       80 | Muskmelon      87 | Spinach        84
Cauliflower   80 | Okra           80 | Squash         87
Celery        60 | Onion          80 | Tomatoes       85
Corn          87 | Parsley        70 | Turnips        90
Cucumber      87 | Peas           93 | Watermelon     87
Eggplant      80 | Peppers        80 |
--------------------------------------------------------
e>
“After being sure of good seed the next step
to consider is when to plant the seed.  It is
well to start certain seed inside and so get a bit
ahead of the season.  Other seed may as well wait,
and be planted out in the open when the ground is
warm.
“Such vegetable seed as the following may be
started inside.
--------------------------------------------
INDOOR PLANTING TIME-TABLE
--------------------------------------------
FEBRUARY      |   MARCH       |    APRIL
--------------------------------------------
Artichoke     |               |
Cabbage       |               |
Celery        |  Cucumber     |
Egg plant     |  Egg plant    |
Lettuce       |  Lettuce      |  Muskmelon
Onion         |  Pepper       |
Radish        |  Radish       |
Tomato        |               |  Tomato
--------------------------------------------
“Flower seeds I will take up later because I
wish to think over the flower garden by itself.
“When shall we plant seeds outdoors?  Now
no one under the sun can say plant such and such a
seed on May 30th or April 1st.  It is the same
absurd case as saying change your winter clothes for
summer ones on May 1st.  Many writers will cover
this subject by saying plant seeds when the earth
is warm.  But even that is a pretty general sort
of direction.