CULTIVATION. 45 



reduced the brush to ashes, take a fine iron or steel rake, 

 and proceed to pulverize very finely the vfhole surface 

 spaded up. After reducing it to as fine a state as possible, 

 and having made it flat and level, leave it till the next 

 day. Then, with your rake, carefully rake over the 

 whole bed ; it is now ready for the seed. Sow the seed 

 on broadcast ; be careful to sow it even and true. About 

 two thimblefuls, or a little less, will be sufficient for such 

 a bed. It is better to have too little than too miich, as in 

 the first instance, the plants will have room to form thick 

 stalky roots and well-spread leaves, while in the latter 

 they will be crowded with spindling tops as well as small 

 roots. Having sowed your seed, take a good heavy 

 garden-roller and roll the surface down hard and smooth. 

 In the absence of a roll, a very good substitute can be 

 made by taking a piece of 2-inch plank, say 18 inches 

 long by 14 inches wide; in the centre, place an upright 

 handle. With this spat the bed over, being careful to do 

 it evenly, and to leave the surface solid and level, the 

 reasons for which you will afterward discover in weeding 

 and taking out plants to set in the field. This should be 

 done in the spring, as soon as the ground will permit, say 

 first of April, if the frost is out and the ground settled. 

 The roll or spatter will cover the seed sufficiently without 

 any other covering. To be able to sow the seed with the 

 least trouble, mix it in thoroughly with wood-ashes or 

 plaster, before sowing. To obtain plants earlier, you can 

 mix your seed thoroughly in about a quart of light chip 

 dirt from under your wood-shed ; put it in some proper 

 vessel, and wet to the consistence of soft putty, with 

 water as warm as can be well borne by the hand. Set it 



