82 PEACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



tireiy level surface ; the seeds are then sown, and a light 

 covering, from l \ lt to : | 4 part of an inch thick, according 

 to size or strength of seed, is sifted over them, through a 

 sieve having a mesh only '| 13 part of an inch in diameter. 

 The covering is gently pressed, to prevent the air pene- 

 trating the loose soil and drying up the seeds; watering, 

 which it is well to avoid as much as possible, is thus ren- 

 dered less necessary. Be careful, however, not to let 

 them suffer for moisture, as in the weak condition of seed- 

 lings most plants are quickly injured by neglect of this 

 kind, and, even with all possible car.:>, we experience 

 serious losses. Many varieties will "damp off,'' as we 

 term it, just as the first rough leaves are being formed; 

 this, however, is not the result of excessive moisture, as 

 it occurs just as quickly in a dry temperature as a moist 

 one. It is evidently caused by the same insidious spider- 

 web-like substance that is known among gardeners as the 

 "fungus of the cutting bench," and is evidently one of 

 the minute fungi of which we have so many representa- 

 tives. The best preventive of this disease, as it is some- 

 times called, is, just as soon as the seedling plants can be 

 handled, to take them from the seed-boxes, and prick 

 them out in boxes of similar mould, from 'I, to 2 inches 

 apart, according to the variety. This is a much better 

 method than potting them off in flower-pots, as it not 

 only saves time and room, but they always do better. In 

 the flower-pots they are liable to be dried up, and the 

 tender roots of the seedling plant quickly destroyed. 



We use these shallow boxes largely for pricking off 

 cuttings from our propagating benches, instead of potting 

 them off, particularly such plants as are wanted for stock 

 to be planted out in the open ground, as, after being 

 rooted in the cutting-bench, and planted out in these 

 shallow boxes, they can there remain, occupying less 

 space, and in every respect growing as well as if in pots. 

 Carnations and Roses we work largely in this way. 



