The Pictorial Guide to Seeds of the World

Book excerpt: This full-color, user-friendly book covers the basics involved in the collection, cleaning, and storage of seeds. Learn from an expert how to safely and effectively construct your own sieve and seed cleaner with household materials, overcome pests when storing seeds, and handle environmental factors that may threaten the integrity of your seeds. An introduction to identifying different varieties of seeds will make collecting easy for beginner and experienced collectors alike. One thousand close-up color photographs of seeds gathered from vegetables, herbs and spices, garden flowers, fruit-producing plants, trees, shrubs, and vines are included in this encyclopedia-style volume. Each entry identifies the seed's family, common name, species, genera, and origin, and includes collection methods, a description of the number and color of seeds, useful hints for collection, and notes on growing the source plant. Gardeners around the world will appreciate this comprehensive guide to harvesting nature's bounty and preserving its genetic material for years and gardens to come.