ABOUT FRUITS, FLOWEBS AND PAKMING. 353 



make the seed germinate with great \'igor, and to establish 

 itself strongly ; but we do not suppose any process can be 

 made to reach beyond this. No mere soaking or coating 

 can extend its influence through the whole growth of the 

 crop. 



When seeds are soaked they anticipate the weeds in com- 

 ing up, especially seeds planted in May and Jime, and this 

 is a very important object, as crops are, often, almost smoth- 

 ered with weeds before they are large enough to be weeded. 



SOWrNG FLOWER SEEDS— TRANSPLANTING. 



Many flower-seeds require no more skill in planting than 

 do peas or beans, for they are as large and as easily ger- 

 minated. But very many are small, and some extremely 

 small, and if planted too deeply, they will not shoot, or 

 will shoot very feebly. 



Select a free-working and rich piece of ground — a sandy 

 loam is best, and a stiff clay the worst — let it be spaded 

 deeply, incorporating very thoroughly-rotted manure, *. e. 

 manure full two years old and which will crumble in the 

 hand as fine as sand. "With a fine-toothed rake reduce every 

 lump and bring the surface to the finest state of pulveriza- 

 tion. If the seed is very small, it had better be mixed 

 with a little sand, or dry soU, to increase the bulk. The 

 sowing will be easier and more equal. Scatter the seed 

 upon the bed ; then with the hands or a fine garden sieve, 

 sift fresh and mellow earth upon it from a quarter to half an 

 inch in depth. To bring the earth compactly about the 

 seed, spat the bed with moderate strokes with the back of a 

 spade. If the weather is very dry, water the bed at evening 

 with a watering-pot — ^to pour it from a pail or cup would 

 wash up the surface. Keep the plants fi-om" weeds, and 

 when they are one or two inches high, they may be trans- 



