58 CALIFORNIA GARDEN FLOWERS. 



are more or less mixed with decaying fibers of fallen leaves, etc. This 

 crumby condition admits a small seed to enter and the fibrous material 

 holds the crumbs from being blown away by the winds and at the same 

 time, by its decay, forms humus which not only feeds the young rootlets 

 but also holds moisture nearby for their use. Good garden soil should have 

 these characters not only at the surface but as deeply as they can be had, 

 either naturally or artificially, as is discussed on page 26. 



The depth of covering for seeds depends upon the character of the soil, 

 and, in California at least, upon the expectation of additional moisture. As 

 the soil approaches "sandy" the covering may be deeper and as it is more 

 "clayey," the covering may be shallower. In both cases, if it is early in 

 the growing season and therefore with greater expectation of rain, the 

 covering should be shallower than late in the season, when surface-drying 

 is anticipated. Obviously if uniformly moist condition is preserved by 

 irrigation, this difference becomes of less importance, though it does not 

 wholly disappear because even with irrigation the air is drier as the rains 

 cease or become lighter and less frequent. 



Covering the soil surface. The germination of seeds in the open 

 ground is promoted by covering the soil after sowing with a light 

 litter of dead leaves, chaff, lawn clippings, broken straw or other com- 

 minuted vegetable substance, because this covering holds surface 

 moisture, reduces sun-baking or rain-puddling which form a crust, and 

 probably protects the shooting germ also from heat and cold to 

 some extent. This covering should always be light 'and thin to admit 

 air freely and to prevent fermentation of the substance itself, which 

 might injure the seedling. Crusting of the surface is destructive to 

 seedlings in several ways and a crust is more easily prevented than 

 cured, although disintegrating the crust, if it is allowed to form, is 

 essential. This is most safely done with careful downward thrusts of 

 the rake; straight raking is only admissible with deep-covered seeds 

 and then before shoots are too near the surface. While vertical 

 breaking can be done even after the plants have appeared above the sur- 

 face. 



The beginner should be warned against using too much coarse stuff in 

 connection with seed sowing. Too much manure may kill seedlings di- 

 rectly ; too much manure or other coarse stuff may kill seedlings by the 

 heat of fermentation or by drying out the soil too much. 



The following is an explicit recipe for open ground seedlings which 

 may help those who demand formulas : 



"If you do not care to sow in boxes you can sow in the open ground. 

 Select some spot that is sheltered and has an eastern exposure, spade up 

 and rake smooth, sow the seed broadcast and rake it in. Then firm the 

 ground on top with a board, water, then top dress with clippings from the 

 lawn, straw from the stable, or, best of all, make a screen out of cheese- 



