HOW TO SOW SEEDS u 



saturated as evenly as though it had been standing out in the 

 rain. The old-fashioned way, and by far the best way, too, 

 where the quantities to be handled were not too large, was 

 to immerse every pot or pan in a tank of water, holding it there 

 until thoroughly soaked. But where hundreds have to be 

 done this is considered too slow, and the saturation can be as 

 fully assured by a watering pot and fine rose. The compost 

 is so charged with moisture that there is a sufficiency to last 

 until the seeds have germinated that is, so far as seeds with 

 a reasonably rapid germination are concerned, like most annuals. 

 After saturation, a little while should be allowed for the 

 superfluous water to drain away, and then the seeds should be 

 sown evenly, thinly and regularly upon the surface, pains being 



FIG. 2. A " Presser " 



taken to see that they do not cluster together or lie too thickly 

 to allow space for the healthy development of every seedling. 

 The old adage, " Sow thickly, thin quickly," has long been 

 exploded, for practically nearly every seed may be expected 

 to germinate if the conditions be favourable. We emphasise 

 this point, because it so often happens that the thinning or 

 transplanting cannot be attended to at the psychological moment 

 and the young plants, growing quickly, run up weakly. Let 

 " sow thinly " be the rule, then the plantsman is better able 

 to select his own time for the transplanting. 



At what depth should seeds be sown ? Those sown in the 

 open ground are usually put in about four times that of their 

 own thickness, but this rule does not hold good with seeds 

 sown under glass, where the conditions are all under control. 



Some seeds are so fine that they need no covering beyond a 

 mere dash of silver sand for example, Begonia, Calceolaria, 



