252 The Gardener's New Director. 



ing fo tn:,ke the furface as level as pofl'ible; and before 

 you few, let the earth have fourteen days to fettle. When 

 you fow your feed, which fhould be about ten days after 

 It is gathered, obferve that the compofl receives a pretty 

 hearty fl-unver ; hut if there is not any rain, take your w^a- 

 tering-|>ot with the fined rofe, and water it ; then imme- 

 diately fow t!iefeed,as equally as pcflible, and not too thick, 

 that being a great error, as well as coverinc; it too much, 

 the depth of a quarter of an inch is fufficient; and I 

 would chufe the covering to be of the furface of the 

 earth where the plants grew, which is to be laid on 

 gently vv'ith your hand; by this care, no part of the feed 

 will be loft. 



The mofi; proper fituation for the boxes in fum- 

 mer, and even when the plants are very young, will 

 be under a wall or hedge which looks to the north, 

 or to the eafl, in order to prote6l them from the fun's 

 heat : in dry weather it will be neceffary to refrefli the 



earth with gentle and frequent waterings. Some fov/ 



the feed in January, in open mild weather, or about the 

 firfl: week of February, at fartheft. 



In July, prepare a nurfery-bed of the fame earth \n 

 which they were fown, and plant them at twelve inches 

 diftance, taking up as much earth with their roots as 

 you can, fo as not to difturb their young fibres ; fhade 

 them from all fun, until they have flruck root ; keep 

 them clear from weeds, and give them gentle waterings; 

 and let this nurfery-bed be made in fuch a fituation, as 

 to have the morning-fun only. Some of them will ftiew 

 their flowers the fame autumn, and many of them the 

 fjiring following, when all the good flowers Ihould be 

 planted out in beds by themfelves, and in a moifl: fhady 

 fituation, where their varieties will much delight the 

 curious eye: but for the greater certainty of difl;inguifln- 

 ing their beauties, I would fufFer them to fland a year 

 in the nurfery-bed; about the beginning of November^ 

 while the plants are in this nurfery-bed, and on a dry day, 

 take a quantity of the compoft in which they were fown, 

 and with your hand lay it an inch thick over the 

 bed, holding up their undermofl: U aves with one hand, 

 while with the other you prefs tic earth about the 

 ^ plants. 



