PREPARING THE SEED BED 



II 



this, and then fed the plants entirely on liquid manure. 

 I have a cistern under one corner of the barn. The 

 rain water washes a good deal of pigeon manure off 

 the roof into this cistern. Then I add chemical ferti- 

 lizers, especially acid phosphate, muriate of potash and 

 a little nitrate of soda or potash, and find that by 



Fig IO A WELL-PREPARED SEED BED 



watering the onion beds copiously with this liquid, 

 I can force a very rapid growth in my seedlings. 



Another safe plan is to fill the seed bed, bench, 

 frame or box pretty well up with good old compost, 

 or very rich soil well pressed down, and on top of this 

 to place a layer, an inch or inch and a half deep, of 

 clear, sharp river sand. The seed is sown into this 

 sand. The roots of the seedlings will soon get down 



