68 PRACTICAL FLOKICULTUBE. 



tion to, these conditions, is far oftener the cause of fail- 

 ure than want of vitality in seeds. 



Whether seeds are sown in the open border, in the 

 window garden of the parlor, in the hot-bed, or green- 

 house, the same conditions should be followed, as far as 

 practicable. In the open border there is not always a 

 choice of soil, but if soil is to be prepared, let it be of a light 

 nature ; leaf mould from the woods, and well-pulverized 

 muck from the swamps are excellent to sift on as a cover- 

 ing ; or, where it is obtainable, the mould formed by 

 decayed refuse hops is of great value as a covering for 

 seeds. We have employed this exclusively as a covering 

 for seeds of all kinds for many years, with results which 

 have been vastly superior to those we had when we did 

 not use it. 



It must be borne in mind that, at first, seeds do not 

 so much need a fertile soil as they do one having 

 the necessary mechanical condition ; this is found, ex- 

 actly, in the light, moisture-retaining nature of hop- 

 mould. We can give no better rule than the old one of 

 covering seeds to about their own depth with mould, 

 although something depends on i\\Q weight of the material 

 with which they are covered. One-fourth of an inch in 

 depth of hop-mould or leaf-mould would be no more thaji 

 equivalent to half that depth of ordinary loam ; hence the 

 advantage in using it, as it gives the seed a moist, springy 

 covering, through which the tiny germ can freely push. 



We know it is a practice very common with amateurs, 

 and many gardeners, when starting seeds in hot-bed or 

 green-house, to use flower-pots in their operations ; they 

 are generally two-thirds filled with potsherds, overlaying 

 which is an inch or two of soil, and on this the seed is 

 sown. Any continuation of dry weather necessitates 

 almost daily watering of the flower-pots ; this bakes or 

 hardens the surface, while a day's inattention to them 

 dries the soil, while it is in this condition, so as to injure the 



