SEED SOWING. 43 



have frequently, and to advantage, walked the rows with the 

 heel of one foot close to and in front of the toe of the other, 

 pressing down on the row. 



Thinning. It is generally 'best to sow the seed of most gar- 

 den vegetables much more thickly than the plants should 

 stand when mature. This is done to make sure of having 

 enough plants to stock the land, and it is a good practice. 

 It is important also, to let every young plant in the garden 

 have room enough for perfect development, and this can only 

 be secured, where thick seeding is practiced, by thinning out. 

 It is a very general fault of beginners in gardening, that they 

 try to grow too many plants on their land. This is a 

 grave mistake and is no better in results than permitting 

 weeds to grow. Every plant in excess of what can properly 

 mature on the land is in its effect a weed and should 

 be treated as such. In the home garden, where the thin- 

 nings are valuable, as in the case of beets, lettuce, etc., 

 the work of thinning need not be done all at once, but 

 as the plants need room. In the market garden, it is 

 best to thin out to the full distance at one time. Do not allow 

 the seedlings to get drawn and spindling before thinning, but 

 do it, while they areyoung and before they crowd one another. 

 The proper distances between plants seem very large when 

 the plants are small, but it must be remembered that later on 

 anything less than the proper distance injures the crop. One 

 must have determination enough to throw away many nice 

 plants in order to make room for those that are to mature. 

 It is better to give too much than too little roomto plants. 



