PROPAGATION 139 



but for general purposes it may be made up of 

 good light fibrous loam, mixed with a fair 

 amount of sharp sand and leaf-mould in the 

 proportion of about three to one. Put this 

 through a ^-inch riddle, keeping a sharp 

 look-out for worms, which should be promptly 

 removed. Put the coarse part remaining 

 in the sieve over the drainage in the pots, 

 filling them half full. Then fill up the re- 

 mainder with the fine soil. Now press all 

 down firmly, either with a piece of wood or 

 the bottom of a pot, which will answer just 

 as well, until the surface is about half an inch 

 below the edge of the pot and fairly smooth. 

 This will leave things ready for sowing. 



Take the seed packet and open carefully, 

 either over the pot or a sheet of paper, if the 

 seeds are very small, and then sow as evenly 

 and thinly as possible. To cover, hold the 

 riddle in one hand at an elevation of about 6 

 inches over the pot, and on it scatter the soil, 

 keeping the riddle gently moving all the time. 

 By this method the soil will be spread evenly 

 over the surface of the pot. The depth of 

 covering is generally supposed to be equal to 



