KAISIHG SEED. 153 



digging. When in nice order, mark off beds four feet 

 wide, and it is ready to be seeded. 



It is usual at the South to sow at the rate of one 

 heaping tablespoonful of seeds to every 100 square 

 yards. In the Connecticut valley the rate is to sow a 

 tablespoonful of seed to each square rod of bed; this 

 gives about 60,000 seed, but many will be covered too 

 deep and therefore fail to grow. Some sow the seed by 

 taking a small quantity between the thumb and finger 

 and scattering over the bed, first one way and then the 

 other, to ensure even seeding; others mix the seed, 

 before sowing, with a pint of corn or cottonseed meal, 

 or ashes or land plaster, as it is then easier to handle, 

 and the meal can be seen upon the ground and a more 

 perfect sowing made. Some sprout the seed and claim 

 they save a few days in starting. While such seed 

 comes up a little quicker, it is doubtful if any ma- 

 terial difference in the size of the plants can be seen 

 in three or four weeks. To sprout seed, place a 

 piece of dark, woolen cloth in a dish, and cover the 

 cloth about one-fourth an inch deep with seed; then 

 place another woolen cloth over it, and saturate with 

 warm water, and place in a warm spot near the stove. 

 In three or four days small white spots can be seen 

 on the seed, indicating germination, and it then should 

 be sown at once; longer sprouting would develop 

 rootlets, and this should not be done until the seed is 

 in the ground. 



Do not rake in the seed ; that would cover it too 

 much. The best plan is to run a heavy hand roller over 

 the bed, or press it with a board, or with the feet, until 

 the entire surface is smooth and compact. Southern 

 planters tramp in the seed by going around the bed, one 

 foot following the other, with toes pointing outward, 

 making a smooth, well-tramped surface. Firming the 

 soil is very essential to success, as the compact surface 



