49 



seeds, which are probably the most valuable, seldom 

 vegetate at all. The earth and seed must always 

 be kept moderately moist, but never very wet ; the 

 best method of watering it, is by means of a hard 

 clothes-brush, dipped into soft water, which has 

 had its chill taken oif by standing in the sun ; the 

 hair side being quickly turned upwards, and the 

 hand rubbed briskly over it, will cause the water to 

 fly off in an opposite direction, in particles almost as 

 fine as dew ; a sufficient watering may in this manner 

 be given in a few minutes.* If it is found impossi- 

 ble to preserve the heat of the first bed till the seed 

 has all vegetated, it will be proper to remove the box 

 to a second, prepared in the same manner, which will 

 infallibly answer the purpose with proper manage- 

 ment : if the surface of the earth in the box is in- 

 clining to become mossy or mouldy, it must be stirred 

 all over very carefully with a pin, about as deep as 

 the thickness of a shilling. At the expiration of 

 three, four, or, at most, five weeks, the young plants 

 will all make their appearance ; it then becomes ne- 

 cessary to give them, very gradually, more air ; in 



* It is a good plan to put some fresh clean moss over the seed 

 when sown ; this keeps the surface more equally moist, and 

 insures its rapid and certain germination. This moss must be 

 removed as soon as the seedlings are fairly above ground, for 

 as they do not by any means require heat, so are they rather 

 impatient of moisture. {Gard. Chron. 1846, 272.) 

 E 



