sow 



SPA 



The work of covering or turning in the earth 

 in the drills over the seeds, may be performed 

 occasionally both with the rake, hoe, and feet ; 

 but the rake or hoe is the most proper for ge- 

 neral practice for all smaller seeds, drawing the 

 earth evenly into the drills a regular depth 

 fully to the depth of the drill, whether deep 

 or shallow : however, peas, beans, kidney- 

 beans, and such-like larger seeds in large drills 

 at wide distances, are often covered in with 

 the feet, by slipping them lightly along each 

 side of the drill alternately, turning the earth 

 evenly in over the seeds ; the' surface being 

 then lightly trimmed along with the rake, to 

 smooth It and clear off large stones, &c. 



In the last method, the ground being dug and 

 formed into four or five feet-wide beds, with 

 alleys a spade's width or more between bed and 

 bed, and the earth drawn off the top of the 

 bed with a rake or spade half an inch or an inch 

 or more deep into the alley, the seed is sown all 

 over the surface of the bed ; which done, the 

 earth in the alley is immediately, either with a 

 rake, drawn spreadingly upon the bed again over 

 the seeds the same depth, or spread over with a 

 spade, and the surface raked smooth and even in 

 a similar manner. 



It is often practised in the nurseries, especially 

 in sowing some large sorts of seeds, as well as 

 others, but not very frequently in kitchen-gar- 

 dens. It is not so expeditious as the Broad-cast 

 sowing, but is very proper for many sorts of 

 small seeds, and many sorts of the tree and 

 shfub kind, being a very regular method of sow- 

 ing so as to cover all the seeds an equal depth, 

 and is performed two or three different ways ; 

 such as by ihe rake, by the spade, and by sifting. 

 It is also sometimes performed with the rake 

 and spade together, particularly when intended 

 to sow any large seeds a good depth, using the 

 rake to shove or rake the earth from off the bed 

 into the alleys ; or if it cannot be conveniently 

 performed with the rake a proper depth, it is 

 effected with the spade, trimming or paring the 

 earth evenly off the surface into the alleys ; then 

 sowing the seeds all over the surface; and if 

 they are of the larger berry, nut, or stone kind, 

 or any other large seed, previous to covering 

 them, pressing or patting them all evenly down 

 into the earth with the back of the spade ; and 

 then, either with the rake or spade, spreading 

 the earth out of the alleys evenly over them ; 

 though if it is a deep covering, especially when 

 taken off' with the spade, it is most eligible to 

 use the same implement in returning it, being 

 careful to spread it evenly, to cover the seeds all 

 equally a proper depthj smoothing the surface 

 with the rake. 

 1 



Another method sometimes practised with 

 large seeds is, that when the ground is laid out in 

 beds unraked, the seed is sown on the surface, 

 and with a rake stricken a little into the earth, 

 then with the spade paring the alley, and casting 

 the earth evenly over the bed, half an inch, or 

 an inch or more deep, as may be required, 

 raking the surface even. This is also sometimes 

 practised in wettish ground, at an early season, 

 when it does not readily admit of treading or 

 raking. And by deepening the alleys, and raising 

 the beds, it drains the moisture from the surface. 



The method by sifting is sometimes practised 

 for several small or light seeds of a more delicate 

 nature, that require a very light covering of 

 earth when sown ; as in order to cover them as 

 shallow as possible, it is done by sifting fine 

 earth over them out of a wire or chip sieve. 

 Before the seed is sown, the surface of the bed, 

 Stc. is raked fine ; then the earth thinly shoved 

 off the surface of the bed with the back of the 

 rake into the alley, making the surface as smooth 

 as possible, and then sowing the seed, smooth- 

 ing it down lightly with the spade, and sifting 

 the earth in the alley evenly over it, to a suitable 

 thickness, as half a quarter or a quarter of an 

 inch deep ; or sometimes the surface is only- 

 raked as smooth as possible, without drawing 

 off the earth, or sometimes lightly smoothed 

 with the back of the spade, then sowing the 

 seed, and letting some loose fine earth from the 

 alley, or some brought for the purpose, be sifted 

 thinly over it. 



The modes of sowing the different sorts of 

 seed crops are more fully explained under their 

 respective heads. 



SPADE, an useful garden implement, used 

 for digging and preparing the soil for the re- 

 ception of all sorls of seeds and plants. 



There are several sorts and sizes of spades oc- 

 casionally employed, though the common large 

 digging spade is, in most places, almost com- 

 monly used for all kinds of digging and spade- 

 work, which, however, in many instances,cannot 

 be so conveniently used as a middling or small .■ 

 spade; it is therefore eligible for every garden 

 to be furnished with three different sizes of . 

 spades, to suit every department of gardening 

 the more commodiously ; such as the common 

 Large digging Spade, for all common digging 

 and spade-work ; a Middling, and a Small Spade 

 for digging particular narrow compartments, 

 and between small plants closely placed in beds 

 and borders, &c. 



The first sort is usually from fourteen to 

 fifteen inches long in the plate, and nine broad, 

 narrowing gradually half an inch or an inch 

 less at the bottom. 



