146 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIS'I . 



seventh part of fine sharp sand may be 

 mixed -with the potting soil. Cover the pile 

 of potting' soil lig'htly with brushwood to 

 keep away chickens or animals. 



In country places or on farms there 

 should be do difiiculfty in securing a pile of 

 potting soil. In towns or cities it would, 

 perhaps, be better and cheaper for the plant 

 grower to buy a bushel or two of prepared 

 potting soil from a florist. 



Good, sweet, fresh, i)otting soil is one of 

 the main essentials in floriculture. The 

 soil should be sifted through a sieve having 

 a three-quarter inch mesh, so as to remove 



any sticks or stones before using it. The 

 fibry matter and the rotten manure should 

 be all passed throug-h the sieve to mix with 

 the soil. 



I have known amateur plant growers pack 

 the sod and manure, as described, in an old 

 box or packing case, and by this means se- 

 cure a good quantity of potting soil. This 

 conupost would also be very useful to mar- 

 ket gardeners for use in hot 'beds. One 

 la\er of sod to three or four of manure 

 would probably 'be a better proportion for 

 raising earl_\- vegetable plants. 



STARTING ANNUALS 



W. G. ROOK. TORONTO, ONT. 



1'^llKRF, are several flower seeds which 

 can be sown indoors during April. 

 Nearly all annuals may be bloomed at least 

 one month earlier b}' starting them now. 

 For the amateur who has not the conveni- 

 ence of a greenhouse or hot-bed. windows 

 with a southern exposure ma}- be used for 

 the boxes in which the seeds are sown. 



Obtain shallow boxes about three inches 

 deep and small enough to lift easily. Should 

 it be desired to plant more than one kind of 



Showing Box and Method of Drainage 



seed in a box. partitions may be inserted. 

 Bore holes in the bottom, aibout six inches 

 apart, for drainage. Partly cover the holes 

 w^ith concave pieces from a broken flower 

 pot. Take the coarse material which can- 

 not be run through a sieve and make a layer, 

 about half fifling the box. Spread over this 

 soil that has been made rich with manure or 



fertilizer and sifted. Press the soil firmly 

 with a piece of board, after which the seeds 

 mav be sown. 



Sifting in the Fine Earth 



They should be covered with soil to about 

 four times their diameter, the large ones 

 about half an inch deep, and the very fine 

 ones hardly more than below the surface. 

 There are seeds so fine Chat sowing them on 

 the surface is sufficient. Some people pre- 

 fer sowing the seeds in rows one inch or 

 more apart, others sow them broadcast. Do 

 not neglect pressing dow^n the soil firmly 

 with a 'board both before and after sow'ing. 

 Phis is very important. 



Moisten the soil with a bulb sprayet. 

 Care must be taken to have the box flat and 

 not to give too much water at once, so as to 



