How to Succeed with Seeds 39 



ordinary soil forms when it gets dry on top, mak- 

 ing it impossible for the little seedlings to break 

 throngh. The beauty of it is you can prepare 

 as much of this mixture as you want at one time 

 and store it away in a barrel or bin for future use. 

 A six months' or year's supply can be made in a 

 few hours. 



Maybe you are not fortunate enough to be 

 where you can get out into the fragrant woods 

 to gather your own leaf mould. Of course, you 

 can easily bring home a bagful or two in the car, 

 or you can get cocoanut fibre at the nearest flor- 

 ist or seed store, to use in place of leaf mould. 

 Commercial "Prepared Humus" is also very 

 good. 



Preparing the Soil for Sowing 



Having provided the bedclothes, the next 

 thing, of course, is to make up the bed. The 

 soil may be put right into a frame or in a bench 

 in the greenhouse. But there are several advan- 

 tages in using "flats." The work can be done 

 more conveniently; each individual lot of seeds 

 can be watched and controlled more readily; and 

 when the little plants are big enough to put into 

 other flats, the work can be done at leisure on a 

 bench of convenient height, in a comfortable 

 place. 



