THE SEEDLINGS, OUTDOORS 



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times it happens that the surface has caked over the seeds. 

 The little plants, struggling all together, are able perhaps to 

 raise the caked surface a little ; but the earth weighs them 

 down, and only a few of them may be able to get through. 

 Then the gardener, working very delicately with the points of 



FIG. 148. Seedlings of onion are hardy. 



a fine rake, or best with the tips of his fingers, crumbles the 

 caked earth into dust. This falls among the little plants, 

 and frees them. 



And now that the plants are up, we are anxious to have 

 them grow. There are three things that we can do to help : 

 we can cultivate, we can fertilize, and we can thin. 



Cultivating I have already mentioned. It is the work of 



