68 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



devices are used to bring about germination, such as 

 watering, shading the soil with boards, covering the earth 

 with cloths, and the like. 



Shading the Seed Bed. It is sometimes a good plan 

 to shade a seed bed for a few days after the seed is sown. 

 This is desirable with celery, petunia, tobacco, or other fine 

 seed, since seed of this sort must be covered but slightly 

 with soil on account of their small size. Lath screens, 

 burlap, and cheesecloth make good screens. Remove 

 these as soon as the seed is well germinated. Where flats 

 are used they are often covered with glass to prevent 

 drying out. These are usually shaded -with paper during 

 the brightest part of the day. One good watering of a 

 seed bed thus protected is often sufficient to carry the seed 

 through germination. 



Using the Feet for Firming the Soil Around the Seeds. 

 Many seeds are lost from the failure to properly firm the 

 soil over those sown during dry weather. Many devices 

 have been suggested and used for securing this desirable 

 condition, but for general garden purposes no method or 

 implement ever used can vie with the proper use of the feet 

 for this purpose. While this matter is referred to elsewhere, 

 it is put under this special head to call attention to this 

 useful fact. 



Peter Henderson was the first to call attention to the 

 importance of this method, and describes it as follows: 

 "After plowing, harrowing, and leveling the land smooth, 

 lines are drawn by the 'markers,' which make furrows 

 about two inches deep and a foot apart. After the man 

 who sows the seed follows another who, with the ball of 

 his right foot, presses down his full weight on every inch 

 of soil where the seed has been sown; the rows are then 

 slightly leveled longitudinally with the rake a light roller 



