30 GARDENING BY MYSELF. 



Fill yonr boxes or pots about half full of 

 the rough sifting that remain in the sieve, 

 and then fill to within an inch of the top 

 with the finest of the mould ; shake the pots 

 lightly, smooth down the mould with a light 

 pressure, and sow your seeds. 



Now in all gardening matters one must 

 use plenty of common sense. You will see 

 at a glance, if you think as well as look, that 

 all seeds must not be planted alike. Some 

 are large, like canna and balsams and thun- 

 bugia, and need to be down in the ground 

 a half inch or more. Then others, smaller 

 or lighter, like verbenas, must have less 

 covering ; and when j^ou get to the little 

 dust-seeds — petunias and poppies and por- 

 tulacca — make the surface of the earth very 

 smooth, scatter the seeds over, and press 

 them gently down. That is covering 

 enough. The soil should be damp, but 

 not wet, when you sow seeds ; and after 

 sowing it is good to give the whole a gentle 

 sprinkling, and then to cover the pots with 

 an old pane of glass if you have one at 



