64 OF PROPAGATION. SECT. V. 



may seem to be a sufficient distance of time in sow- 

 ing for succession crops ; yet they tread sometimes 

 upon the heels of one another so fast as to occasion 

 a disagreeable superfluity: This is often the case ia 

 peas and beans, in the height of summer, and espe- 

 cially if a hot season : this caution is the more ne- 

 cessary, where there is no ground to spare, or but 

 few hands to cultivate it. Labour with discretion, 

 and do not attempt too much. 



Sowings should be generally performed on fresh 

 dug or stirred ground. The digging should there- 

 fore be done near the time designed to sow. There 

 is a nutritious moisture in fresh turned up soil, that 

 softens the seed to swell and germinate quickly, and 

 bQiirishes it with proper aliment to proceed in its growth 

 *vit)i vigour, but which is evaporated soon after from 

 thd surface. If the ground, indeed, turns up raw, 

 or wet (as early in the spring it is apt to do) a little 

 time must be allowed it to dry, and so also if rain 

 tails first. In this case, seed should be sown as soon 

 as ever the ground may be trampled so as not to 

 hang to the feet, for when the soil is too wet, it binds 

 and does harm, especially heavy ground ; thus in this 

 work, and every other in the way of gardening, 

 there is a nicety of time to be observed, by those 

 who would do their business well. It is to be ob- 

 served, however, that sowing in drills or in beds that 

 are not to be trampled, the moisture of the ground 

 is rather an advantage, provided, in the last case, 

 that the ground will admit a rake, and the soil is not 

 too wet to drop somewhat loosely about the seeds. 



The proper depth at which seed should be sown, 

 is to be carefully observed : if too deep, they will 

 either rot, or not vegetate, or thrive well ; and if too 

 shallow, they are liable to be injuriously affected by 

 frost, harsh wind, drought, or birds ; but of the two> 



