sou 



[ 746 ] 



SPA 



mals, from New South Wales. Divisions of the 

 plant in spring; loam and sandy peat, or old 

 leaf-mould. Require the protection of a cold pit 

 in winter, and to be kept dryish. 

 S.ju'ncea (tush-leaved), l. May. 1792. 

 laxiflo'ra (loose-flowered). 1. June. 1839. 



SOUR is a term applied to wetlands 

 producing acid weeds, such as Sorrel; 

 but it is also appropriate because such 

 lands contain Gallic and other acid com- 

 pounds, unfriendly to cultivated plants. 



SOUK-SOP. Ano'na murica'ta. 



SOUTHERNWOOD. Artemisia alro'tanum. 



SOUTH SEA TEA. J'lex vomito'ria. 



SOWING. (See GERMINATION.) In ad- 

 dition, a few practical directions may be 

 given. Let all sowing be done in drills. 

 For small seeds, such as lettuce, cab- 

 bage, &c., the drills may be sunk by 

 pressing the handle of the hoe into 

 freshly-dug soil ; but for larger seeds, as 

 parsnips, beet, and onions, the drills 

 must be struck with the hoe. Almost 

 all sowing should be performed in dry 

 weather, more particularly all early sow- 

 ing in winter and spring; but in hot 

 weather, in summer and autumn, it may 

 often be eligible to take advantage of 

 sowing immediately after a shower of 

 moderate rain. 



The drills being at some distance from 

 one another, not only admit the sun, air, 

 and rain more effectually to the plants, 

 and give them a greater scope than such 

 as are sown broadcast, but admit more 

 readily the hoe between the drills to cut 

 down weeds and loosen the soil. 



The general method of forming drills 

 for the reception of seeds is with a com- 

 mon drawing-hoe, sometimes with a large 

 hoe, and sometimes a middling or small 

 hoe, according to the size of the drill 

 required, and the size and nature of tbe 

 seeds; drawing the drill sometimes with 

 the corner of the hoe, especially for 

 larger seeds, and sometimes with the 

 edge of the hoe flatwise, or horizontally. 

 Large seeds, such as peas, kidney beans, 

 many of the nut kinds, and other large 

 seeds, both of trees, shrubs, and herba- 

 ceous plants, require a deep angular 

 drill, drawn with the corner of the hoe, 

 turning the face or edge close to the 

 line, and drawing the drill along with an 

 angular bottom evenly the depth requi"ed, 

 the earth remaining close along the side 

 of the drill, ready for turning in again 

 over the seeds; but where flat or shallow 

 drills are required for smaller seeds, it 

 may, in many cases, be more eligible to 



draw the drill with the hoe flatwise, hold- 

 ing the edge in a horizontal position. 



Beddlng-in Sowing. In this method, 

 the ground being dug and formed in four 

 or five feet wide beds, with alleys a spade 

 width or more between bed and bed, and 

 the earth being drawn off the top of the 

 bed wiih a rake or spade, half an inch 

 or an inch deep into the alleys, the seed 

 is the ' sown all over the surface of the 

 bed, -^ deb being done, the earth in the 

 alleys s immediately drawn or cast over 

 the be 1, again covering the seeds the same 

 depth, and the surface is raked smooth. 



The method of bedding-in sowing by 

 sifting is sometimes practised for very 

 small or light seeds of a more delicate 

 nature, that require a very light covering 

 of earth when sown. In order to bury 

 them as shallow as possible, cover them 

 in by sifting fine earth over them out of 

 a wire sieve. 



SOY. See SO'JA. 



SPADE. This most important of the 

 gardener's tools varies in its form and 

 size. The Common Digging Spade is of 

 the largest size, being generally from 

 fourteen to sixteen inches long in the 

 plate, and nine or ten broad, narrowing 

 half an inch to the bottom. The Mid- 

 dling Spade is about a foot long in the 

 plate, and seven or eight inches broad, 

 and is useful in digging any narrow com- 

 partments and between rows of small 

 plants; also in flower-beds and borders, 

 and in stirring and fresh earthing the 

 surface of beds occasionally between 

 close-placed plants of long standing; 

 planting and transplanting many sorts, 

 both in the ground and in the pots. 



The Small Spade. Size ten or twelve 

 inches long in the plate, and five or six 

 wide. It is convenient in pointing-up or 

 slight digging, and fresh earthing the 

 surface between close rows of smallplants, 

 in beds and borders, &c., - here neither 

 of the two former spade can be readily 

 introduced; likewise in planting and 

 potting many sorts of small plants, tak- 

 ing up small roots, and for other light 

 purposes. Proper garden spades have 

 the plate wholly of iron, not above a 

 quarter of an inch thick upwards, grow- 

 ing gradually thinner from the middle 

 downward, the tree or handle being gene- 

 rally of ash, about two feet and a half 

 long and an inch and a half thick, with 

 a firm, open handle at top, formed out of 

 the solid wood, just big enough to admit 



