50 WINDOW GARDENING. 



too dry. AH seeds sown in pots are more difficult to manage than those raised 

 in a hot bed or in the border on account of the danger of drying up. The ancient 

 maxim again comes up, " that if a thing is worth doing at all, it is worth doing 

 well." So in plant culture it is just as easy to do it right as wrong. The soil 

 should be light and sandy; clear sand, such as the masons use for making plaster, 

 is just the thing with which to cover the seeds, and to mix with the loam. The 

 soil should not be all of sand, because it will dry too quickly. Nor must it be 

 of clayey loam, because it will keep too wet, and will not let the air circulate 

 freely enough to make the seeds vegetate. But a good loam mixed with sand 

 will answer our purpose exactly. 



Fill the pots with it and leave quarter of an inch of clear sand at the top, for 

 the minute seeds, and half an inch for those of larger size. Abutilons, Pelargo- 

 niums, Coboea, etc. Set the pots in water up to the rims to let the soil become 

 thoroughly wetted, then place them to drain for half an hour or more. Plant the 

 seeds on the surface, sprinkling over them and pressing lightly upon them sand 

 proportionate to their needs. 



The sand must not be allowed to dry at all, and we find that nearly all kinds 

 of seeds will germinate more quickly in it than in loam, though a mixture of 

 both may be desirable in some cases when the care is not constant. Shallow 

 cigar boxes are preferable to pots ; they will hold much more, can be handled as 

 easily, and make the best seed pans that we know of. 



The soil for planting seeds should be as fine as possible. It is a good plan to 

 bake it in an old pan in the oven, then sift it through a good sized sieve, which 

 can be made out of an old milk pan, by boring holes through the bottom of it. 

 Soil thus prepared is far better than if taken directly from the garden, yet in all 

 cases it is better to buy it of the florists, then you know it is just right. 



When the second tier of leaves show themselves, it is time to transplant the 

 seedlings, into the pots or boxes in which you intend them to grow and bloom. 



There is some art in watering seedlings as well as plants, as there is great dan- 

 ger of the tiny sprouts becoming water clogged or " damped off"." 



It is often better to water little pots by placing them in shallow pans of wa- 

 ter, and letting them suck up moisture for a few minutes. Boxes can be mois- 

 tened by pouring the water against the sides of them, holding the spout close to 

 them, and letting only a small stream fall from the nozzle, thus gently wetting 

 the whole surface. 



The pane of glass that is to be kept over the young plants, can be edged upon 

 one side to give more air, and prevent their growing spindling, and wire 

 drawn. 



Bell glasses are much better however, and are largely used in England and in 

 France where they are called cloches. They are conical, rising to a sharp point 

 in the middle, and are of cheap construction. Seedlings raised under them flour- 

 ish finely, and there is little need for watering tiny plants ; for when the edge of 

 the gla.ss is within the rim of the pot, the moisture becomes condensed upon 

 the sides of the glass, and moistens the soil by trickling down upon it. 



