324 



ELEMENTARY STUDIES IN BOTANY 



planted in soil in pots or boxes, where the 

 water supply is controlled, they may be 

 more shallow than if planted in the open, 

 where the surface soil is in danger of be- 

 cbming too dry. It is well to plant seeds 

 as shallow as possible, consistent with a 

 moist soil. Attention has been called to 

 the fact that a moist soil does not mean 

 one saturated with water, which is a com- 

 mon mistake made in planting seeds, 

 called very properly " puddling " seeds. 

 The danger involved in preventing a free 

 circulation of air by filling the soil spaces 

 with water has been mentioned. Of course 

 the soil is saturated with water after an 

 abundant rain, but if there is proper 

 drainage, this is a very temporary blockade 

 to the air. The advantage of the rain, of 

 course, is that in passing through the finely 



FIG. 9. A seedling ,. . , -i 1,1 ,1-1 ji 



bean just as germi- divided soil the water thickens the water 

 films held about the soil particles, and adds 

 to the supply of water in the deeper region 

 of the soil which can be 

 drawn upon by the capil- 

 lary movement. 



29. Seed boxes. In 

 cultivating many gar- 

 den plants (including, 

 of course, flowers and 

 ornamental plants) it is 

 often of great advantage 

 to germinate the seeds 

 in shallow boxes con- 

 taining soil, such seed 

 boxes as professional 



the text. 



FlG . 10 ._ Agardener>sseedboxforgerminating 



seeds. After BAILEY. 



