FLORICULTURE 527 



for the germination of most seeds. It will be difficult to secure 

 these conditions, however, without artificial means, such as a green- 

 house, hotbed, or cold frame. Strange as it may seem, nature main- 

 tains conditions during the early part of the growing season approxi- 

 mating those above specified. 



Moisture. Seed in a majority of cases grow best when the 

 moisture in the soil is slight rather than when present in excess. A 

 good test for moisture is to take a handful of soil and compact it 

 gently in the palm of the hand by closing the fingers. If when re- 

 leased the soil remains solid and retains the impressions of the hand, 

 it is too wet; but if when released it springs back and slowly crum- 

 bles or parts, it is in ideal condition for seed sowing. Such soil is 

 well aerated, while the soil containing an excess of moisture has the 

 am largely replaced by water. 



^ The seed bed should be carefully guarded against extremes of 

 moisture. It should not be allowed to get too wet and remain in that 

 condition for any length of time, neither should it be allowed to get 

 too dry. In the open these conditions are not likely to occur during a 

 normal season. However, there are frequent exceptions. If too wet, 

 little can be done to overcome the bad results, but if drought occurs 

 irrigation will remedy the evil. Under artificial conditions, such as 

 obtain in a greenhouse, hotbed, or cold frame, the moisture content 

 of the soil of the seed bed can be very carefully controlled. The con- 

 fined atmosphere of such a structure prevents rapid or excessive 

 evaporation, while any loss of moisture from the soil can be made 

 good by watering. On a small scale the same results can be ap- 

 proached by placing a pane of glass over the receptacle in which the 

 seeds are sown. 



Soil Temperature. Slight variations in the temperature of the 

 soil in which seeds are sown are usually a benefit rather than a hin- 

 drance to germination. With the grasses and clovers germination 

 is more rapid and more complete in seeds subjected to alternations of 

 temperature than in those kept under constant temperatures. This 

 applies to practically all seeds. Under normal conditions the warm- 

 ing of the soil during the day and the cooling at night furnish suf- 

 ficiently wide variations. Wnile these variations are less easily con- 

 trolled than are the variations in moisture, yet in structures such as 

 hotbeds and cold frames the change from day to night temperature 

 will be perceptible. 



The seed must be enabled to germinate and the soil is the medium 

 by which heat and moisture are, und'er normal conditions, trans- 

 ferred to the seed. In order to insure a quick exchange of moisture 

 from the soil to the seed the soil should be carefully firmed or com- 

 pacted about the seed. By compacting the soil about the seed the 

 capillary power of the soil is increased and as the seed becomes an 

 intimate part of the soil the soil moisture is thus more quickly 

 brought to the seed. In outdoor operations large seed may have the 

 soil compacted about them tramping the row with the feet, while 

 fine seeds may be treated by resting a board over the row and walk- 

 ing upon it from end to end. In hotbeds, greenhouses, and cold 



