38 GENERAL ADVICE 



break the ground, or the plants will be greatly 

 injured. Wherever practicable, seed-beds of cel- 

 ery and other slow -germinating seeds should be 

 shaded. If the beds are watered, be careful that 

 the soil is not packed by the force of the water 

 or baked by the sun. In thickly sown seed- 

 beds, thin or transplant the plants as soon as 

 they have made their first true leaves. 



For most home -grounds, seeds may be sown by 

 hand, but for large areas of one crop, one of the 

 many kinds of seed -sowers may be used. The 

 particular methods of sowing seeds are specified 

 under the discussions of the different plants, if 

 any other than ordinary treatment is required. 

 The depth at which seeds are to be sown varies 

 with the kind, the soil and its preparation, the 

 season, and whether they are planted in the open 

 or in the house. In boxes and under glass, it is 

 a good rule that the seed be sown to a depth 

 equal to twice its own diameter, but deeper sow- 

 ing is usually necessary out of doors, particu- 

 larly in hot and dry weather. More specific re- 

 marks upon propagation by seed and otherwise 

 may be found in "The Nursery -Book." 



TRANSPLANTING YOUNG SEEDLINGS. In the 

 transplanting of cabbages, tomatoes, flowers, and 

 all plants which are recently started from seeds, 

 it is important that the ground be thoroughly 

 fined and compacted. Plants usually live better 

 if transplanted into ground which has been freshly 



