March, 1910 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



63 



Sowing Garden Seeds 



A. V. Main, Almonte, Ontario 



THE success of our seeds generally 

 depends upon how we treat them 

 for germination. Failures and com- 

 plaints of bad seed are quite common. 

 We are too apt to lay fault on the in- 

 dividual who furnishes the seed, con- 



~35 



I 



Flower Pot Prepared for Seed Sowing 



1. Drainage material, broken pots, clinkers, 

 etc. 2. Rough leaves or decayed manure. 3. Pre- 

 pared soil. 4. Seeds and covering of fine sifted 

 soil. 5. Space for water. Prepare boxes in simi- 

 lar fashion. 



demning his .seed as rubbish. I would 

 not give the seed trade immunity alto- 

 gether, but the non-germinating of seed 

 is often due to our own negligence. 



For flower seeds good, clean pots 

 and boxes are essential. Boxes three 

 inches deep with several holes bored in 

 the bottom for an outlet for water, and 

 made a convenient size, are first-class 

 for seeds or plants. A good layer of 

 rough leaves, rotted manure, pieces "of 

 broken flower pots, oyster shells or 

 rough ashes should be at the bottom of 

 the pots or boxes, then fill up moderate- 

 ly firm with fine soil to within an inch of 

 the top. A mixture of loamy soil, sand 

 and leaf soil make a suitable compost. 



We have failed as yet to procure sieves 

 from any of the leading seed firms for 

 the purpose of grading or sifting the soil 

 for seed sowing. For this purpose a fine 

 mesh of mosquito netting will do by nail- 

 ing a two-inch board round a square of 

 it. Chicken netting, half-inch mesh, 

 will also make a good sieve for sifting 

 soil. With boxes, a flat board will make 

 an equal level for the soil ; for pots, any- 

 thing round and flat is sufficient. 



For very small seeds, such as begonia, 

 gloxinia, lobelia, antirrhinums and co- 

 leus, water the seed receptacles with 

 a fine rose can an hour prior to sowing. 

 A mere dusting of fine soil is sufficient 

 covering. The size of the seeds will al- 

 most determine the covering of the soil 

 required. Hegonia seed does not require 

 any, coleus requires very little, while 

 castor oil plant and sunflower want half 

 an inch of soil. 



A piece of glass should be laid over 

 the .seed pot or box, also a piece of 

 broun paper lx;fore the seedlings ap- 

 pear, then gradually withdraw it when 

 the seed receptacles become very dry. 

 Do not apply a shower bath overhead. 



but hold the seed pot half way down in 

 a pail or tank of tepid water. The water 

 will thoroughly saturate the soil from 

 the bottom, finding its way to the sur- 

 face. This will be sufficient for a good 

 many days, and better than daily drib- 

 bles on the surface. Seedlings like to be 

 kept tolerably dry before they gain 

 strength. With a good sunny window, 

 many fine plants can be raised, then re- 

 move to a frame outdoors. 



Any haphazard or slipshod fashion 

 with vegetable seeds will only result in 

 disappointment. The ground is best 

 forked over the day it is to be sown. A 

 fine open mould, neither too wet nor dry 

 is best. Gardeners on a small scale should 

 prepare a fine tilth of soil, raked level. 



The alert gardener will take the first 

 opportunity of a good day to sow onions, 

 parsnips, carrots, beets, turnips, cauli- 

 flower, cabbage and pasley. All these 

 will do with half an inch of cover- 

 ing. The culinary peas and flowering 

 sweet peas require very early sowing, 

 three inches deep. Label all seed cor- 

 rectly and give date of sowing. 



Before we convict the dealer of bad 

 seeds, let us consider if we have done 

 justice in the preparation of the soil and 

 the seed bed, having climate and price 

 of seed duly noted. Buy from reputable 

 seed firms. 



oli. The large maple and elm trees on 

 the street were planted by me thirty- 

 eight years ago. Now, in my sixty- 

 third year, I take lots of pleasure in daily 

 viewing their silent, majestic appear- 

 ance. 



If young people of both sexes would 

 plant trees they would derive daily grat- 

 ification in watching nature's monu- 

 ments growing in stately magnificence ; 

 besides, they would contribute lasting 

 blessings to the rising generation. I 

 speak from experience, having set in 

 this town of Coaticook some 500 native 

 forest trees besides many foreign orna- 

 mental trees and hedges. Some of the 

 native elms set forty years ago, could not 

 now be purchased for fifty dollars each; 

 for which I received the magnificent sum 

 of fifteen cents each for digging, set- 

 ting and tying to two stakes. This shows 

 the financial standing of the trees to- 

 day. Where and how can a small in- 

 vestment be made to better advantage 

 than the setting of a few trees in a suit- 

 able place? — W. F. Hool, Coaticook, 

 Que. 



An old-time favorite among the shrubs 

 is the golden currapt (Ribes aureum). 

 Whether in flower or in fruit it is very 

 ornamental. The flowers are yellow and 

 sweet-scented. It blooms late in May 

 and grows about eight feet high. 



The Worth of Tree Planting 



Editor, The Can.adian Horticultur- 

 ist: At your request I am sending a 

 photograph of a corner in my garden 

 containing hydrangeas, asters and gladi- 



Of all "shrubs that we have, probably 

 the most popular is the Hydrangea 

 paniculata grandiflora. It starts to 

 bloom late in July and lasts until frost. 

 The blossoms are white at first and 

 gradually change to a rosy pink. This 

 shrub grows six to ten feet high, and is 

 most effective when planted in masses. 



Adert, GUdioli and Hydraofeat in a Garden in the Province of Quebec 



(inrrten of Mr. \V !•'. IIool, North Coaticook. 



