36 HARDY FLOWERS. 



and tolerably even. Each packet of seed should then be sown, and 

 covered with a sprinkling of fine soil, which is to be pressed down 

 by means of a flat piece of wood, or, what will be perhaps more 

 readily available, by the bottom of a flower-pot. 



" The best guide as to the thickness of covering' required is to 

 arrange so that no seeds shall be seen on the surface after the 

 operation. If the seeds are minute, a very small quantity will be 

 required to attain this end ; if they are large, more will be requisite. 

 This completed, and each pot duly labelled with the name of the 

 plant and height of growth, the pots should then be placed in a cold 

 frame tolerably near the glass, taking care that each pot is set level 

 or as nearly so as practicable. 



" In preparing the frame for their reception, it is desirable to 

 have a good thickness of lime rubbish in the bottom, say from nine 

 to twelve inches, as a protection against worms. 



" Many seeds come up a long time after others ; in fact, seed-pots 

 are often thrown away in the supposition that the seeds are dead, 

 when they are perfectly sound j and some will come up a year or so 

 after being sown. All that is necessary with the seeds that do not 

 come up during the spring is to give them an occasional watering, 

 and to guard against the growth of the Lichen-like Marchantia. 

 This is frequently a great pest in damp localities, and is only to be 

 kept in check by carefully removing it on its first appearance, for if 

 allowed to make too much headway, any attempt at removal carries 

 away the surface soil, and with it the seeds. In the month of 

 October each pot should be surfaced with a sprinkling of fine soil, 

 well pressed down; in fact, the process before described after sowing 

 should be repeated. The pots may remain in the frame till the 

 spring, nor should they be despaired of altogether till May or June, 

 or in some instances later. 



" To those who may not have the advantage of a cold frame to 

 carry out the foregoing instructions, I would still recommend the 

 use of flower-pots rather than sowing in the open ground ; but under 

 these circumstances I would say sow one month later ; place the 

 pots in a warm, sunny corner, and arrange some simple contrivance 

 so that you can shade with mats during hot sunshine, and also cover 

 up at night, in order to keep off heavy rains ; the same care in 

 watering should be observed, and the same watchful eye after snails, 

 woodlice, and other depredators, should be maintained. 



" So much for the seeds in their seed-pots. Now a word or two 



