Ri'rai. School Leaflet 



995 



stove or in a sunny window where it will have a fair amount of heat. 

 Water the soil during the next two weeks. Record the date of planting 

 the seed, and each day record the number of plants that show above the 

 soil. If at the end of two weeks nine of the ten seeds in the first row have 

 shown above ground and are still healthy and green, the percentage of 

 growth will be go; if eight, So; if six, 60. If the test shows less than 60 

 per cent, more seed will have to be used in the actual planting of the garden 

 in order to obtain the number of plants desired. 



The above is the most valuable test of seeds, as it shows not only those 

 seeds that will sprout well but also those that under fair conditions will 

 grow in the garden. Seeds that show a high percentage in this test will 

 be profitable to plant. 



Location. — If mother or father will give you your choice of a place for 

 your garden, choose a piece of land that has been under cultivation for 

 two or three years. If this land slopes slightly toward the south and is 

 of a loamy, not clayey, soil, it will answer your purpose. If the land is 

 near a hen-yard it will be well either to fence the garden or to plan to keep 

 the hens in their yard. 



Staking the garden. — With pieces of wood stake the garden corners on 

 the land to be used. These stakes will serve to show where to spread 

 manure, or where to plow, spade, or harrow. 



Manuring. — If good, well-rotted stable manure is available, spread 

 a generous coating of it on the garden. It is doubtful whether too much 

 can be applied. Some of the best gardeners use as much as three or four 

 inches of well-rotted manure spread over the ground. 



Plowing or spading. — If the ground is plowed it should be done after 

 the manure is spread, and should be to a depth of six or eight inches. 

 It is better, however, to use a spade or a spading fork, which will turn 

 the soil to a greater depth than will the plow. With such a tool in the 

 hands of a boy who will use his head as well as his hands in his work the 

 manure can be placed at a very good depth. 



Smoothing. — Harrowing can follow plowing, and fine smoothing can 

 follow harrowing. If horse power is not used the hand rake will be 

 the most serviceable tool. The rake can be used for breaking all lumps, 

 as well as for leaving the soil level and smooth. 



Permanent staking. — After raking, permanent stakes can be driven at 

 the corners of the garden in place of the temporary stakes first used. 

 A nail should be driven in the top of the southeast corner stake, and exact 

 measurements from this stake to the other stakes should be made, nails 

 being placed in the tops of the other stakes where they are found by 

 measurement to be needed. The use of these nails will help greatly in 

 future exact measurements for planting. 



