108 GAEDEN PLANTS. PART IT. 



as possible. It will be vastly improved by a coating of leaf- 

 mould, spread perfectly level over it, for the seeds to ger- 

 minate in. 



If the soil is dry and dusty, it is in a most unsuitable state 

 for sowing, though indolent malees, if not looked after, will often 

 sow seed in it in that condition. It should be quite moist and 

 mellow, and if found not to be so when required, should be made 

 so by copious watering a day or so before the sowing is made. 



Either one of two modes of sowing may be adopted broad- 

 cast or in drills. Each has its merits, but the former is the 

 one almost invariably practised by malees. 



In using the broadcast method, an admirable plan is to mix 

 the seed well with about three times its bulk of dry silver- 

 sand. By this means it may be insured that the seed be 

 scattered evenly over the whole bed, not more in one place 

 than in another. 



It has been recommended to stretch a white cloth over the 

 ground where the seed is sown, until it germinates: and no 

 doubt this would have the good effect of preventing the heat of 

 the sun from drying up the moisture from the soil too quickly. 



The mode of laying out the ground for the cultivation of 

 Peas, Beans, Celery, Cauliflowers, and Cabbage will be given 

 in the places where those vegetables are severally treated of. 



THALLOGENS. 



AGABICACE^E. 



Agaricus. 



MUSHKOOM. 



Mushrooms are produced spontaneously and in great abund- 

 ance in many parts of Bengal, and may be had merely for the 

 trouble of gathering, but the edible ones are so exceedingly 

 difficult to distinguish from others that are poisonous, that it 

 would be better, unless absolutely certain of the right ones, to 

 abstain from them altogether. 



The following mode of producing them by cultivation has 

 been communicated by Mr. D. B. Lindsay : 



" On the floor of an unoccupied bungalow, I laid a layer of 



