OCR Text |
Show The Vitality of Seed. One of the most interesting facts in the study of nature is the wonderful vitality of seeds. Many kinds of seedj will not grow after they are one yeai old; beyond that time they lose theli vegetative faculty. The difference in vitality is in a great measure owing to some having less oil in iheir substance sub-stance than others, as also to the nature na-ture of the oil. and the texture of tueij outward coverings. But seeds of certain cer-tain kinds, if properly ripened and Placed in suitable conditions, are literally lit-erally immortal; that is to sav. thev are capable of retiring their grow-mg grow-mg power indefinitely-not -merely fo. a few years, not merely for a few centuries cen-turies but -for thousands 'of years-how years-how long, indeed, no man can sav eeds have been found in the wrap-t-ings of Egyptian mummies, and when Planted have grown with th. same vigor and freshness as if they had only been recently taken from the.r parent plants.-London Gem |