60 CALIFORNIA GARDEN FLOWERS. 



Seed Boxes. Although much can be done with open seed beds of 

 small area under the protection of a board fence on the side of the build- 

 ing, and with the half-shade of a lath-frame or a brush cover, as such may 

 be needed, against too fierce sunshine, it is better to take a little more 

 trouble and secure better arrangements. Seeds of trees, shrubs and 

 herbaceous plants of all kinds can be far more conveniently grown in seed- 

 boxes or in "flats," which may be either shallow boxes or "saucers" of 

 the same burnt clay as common flower pots. The latter are very shallow 

 and usually have only such drainage as the porous material may furnish, 

 though, of course, shallow flower pots, such as are often used for ferns, 

 have drainage holes and also belong to the class of "flats." On the whole, 

 however, the use of seed boxes is better. These are made of half-inch 

 redwood, about three inches deep and preferably rather small in amateur 

 work, so that weight of box and soil shall not be too great for easy han- 

 dling 12x15 or 15x18 inches are convenient sizes. Several half-inch holes 

 should be bored in the bottom boarding, or if the bottoms are made of two 

 or three pieces, cracks wide enough to escape closing by the swelling of the 

 wood will do for drainage. Seed boxes can also be cheaply made by cutting 

 down merchandise boxes to a proper depth and making holes for drainage, 

 but the amateur who likes to use tools and to see things neat and trim, 

 will usually take more pleasure in an outfit of seed boxes of uniform size 

 and aspect. 



Sowing In Seed Boxes. Seed boxes should be filled with finely 

 granular soil free from hard lumps and containing finely fibrous material. 

 A mixture of one-half clean sand, one-quarter garden loam and one- 

 quarter fibrous material, such as finely-broken old cow manure, or leaf 

 mold, or decayed grass roots or rotted lawn trimmings, or, best of all, the 

 peat used by florists. Such a mixture will take water readily, part with it 

 without baking and give the seedling all the soil conditions favorable for 

 its early growth. Having thoroughly mixed the ingredients, fill the box 

 even full, strike off the surface with a straight-edge and press down the 

 soil evenly with a block so that it is quite firm. This will leave the soil 

 surface half an inch or more below the edges of the sides. Sprinkle the 

 seed over the firmed surface and press lightly with a clean block. Then 

 sift on a covering of the mixed soil, well rubbed up more or less accord- 

 ing to the size of the seed and water with a fine spray. A light covering 

 of dry spagnum moss, well rubbed up, will hold the soil from shifting 

 under the spray. In the case of very minute seeds, fern spores, etc., the 

 seed should be pressed down and covered with the spagnum without the 

 soil covering. 



A California propagator of wide experience gives the following very 

 explicit directions for handling minute seeds : 



"Some seeds are so small that their form can scarcely be distinguished 

 with the naked eye. Skill is therefore required to raise plants from them. 



