G4 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



fine seeds can not be planted nearly as deep. Peas and 

 corn are generally planted from two to three inches deep. 

 Peas, however, are sometimes planted as deep as six inches. 



Always sow in freshly stirred ground, as the seed is far 

 more likely to get a good start in it than in soil that has 

 lain untilled long enough to become crusty and lumpy. 

 Then if the seeds are planted immediately after cultiva- 

 tion has been given and while the soil is still moist, the 

 weeds will hardly get the start of the crop planted if 

 reasonable care is used. In fact, following this rule will 

 generally insure success as long as there is life in the seed 

 and moisture in the soil. Again, it is preferable to sow seeds 

 immediately after a rain rather than just before it comes, 

 since in the case of the finer seeds the crust which forms 

 immediately after a rain may be so compact that the young 

 seedlings cannot push through. 



When a crust thus forms over seeds it is sometimes a 

 good plan to go over the land before the crust is very 

 compact and break it up with rakes, but this should be 

 done in a most careful manner so as not to disturb the seeds. 

 If a crust forms over fine seeds, such as celery, and tobacco, 

 it is a good plan to keep the crust moist until the seeds 

 have pushed through it. Soil that is much dried out in 

 midsummer is often quite an obstacle to the ready germi- 

 nation of seed sown at that time; but if the seed is sown 

 shortly after the ground is plowed and somewhat deeper 

 than it is generally sown in the early spring, and care is 

 taken to firm the earth very carefully immediately after 

 sowing, the seed will generally come up very quickly at 

 this season. But the land should not be worked for seed 

 sowing or for any other purpose when very wet and sticky, 

 as seeds can not be properly planted in soil in such condi- 

 tion. 



