The Busy Woman s Garden Book 



able time has elapsed, nor will it be desirable to 

 dig them up every day or two to see if they are 

 growing; this will discom'age rather than accel- 

 erate the process. 



If the soil in the hotbed appears diy when 

 sowing the seed it should be carefully watered by 

 means of a fine-nosed watering pot or a whisk 

 broom dipped in water, care being taken that not 

 enough water is used at a time to wash the soil 

 or disturb the planting. If any seed is uncov- 

 ered it must be recovered. Seed sown under the 

 protection of sash, either in hotbed or cold frame, 

 does not require to be covered as deeply as when 

 in the open ground, often about as much soil as 

 will entirely cover it is sufficient, always so in 

 the case of fine seed which should be sown broad- 

 cast in sections and covered by sifting fine soil or 

 clean sand over and pressing all down firmly with 

 a piece of board. Larger seeds may be sown in 

 drills, opened a quarter of an inch deep and the 

 earth drawn over them and pressed down. 



Plants that make a rather high growth, even in 

 the hotbed, like tomatoes, should not be planted 



£4 



