34 GA RDENING BY M YSELF. 



plant all the while with a spare finger. Gen- 

 erally then, with a break once made, the 

 leaves muster strength and finish the work, 

 and the plant is not a bit the worse. The 

 seed-leaves will be a little nipped at the 

 ends, but the true leaves will be quite unhurt ; 

 unless indeed you have clipped too close. 



People who sow a dozen packets of seed 

 will smile at my directions : people who 

 sow but one will understand. 



Keep your seed-pans moist, but not wet. 

 ** Sprinkle every day," Mr. Henderson 

 says, — but sprinkle cautiously. Do you 

 know how ? It is an easy matter if you 

 have all appliances, — a "■ sprinkler," or 

 *' syringe," with all the modern improve- 

 ments. But a brass syringe is costly, and I 

 never saw a tin one yet that was worth 

 house room. You must educate your fin- 

 gers. For no '' mist " will go up out of 

 the ground for your flowers as it did for 

 Eve's, — you must imitate her Fairyland as 

 best you may. I have watered a great 

 many little seed-beds from the ends of my 



