sow 



[ 836 ] 



SPA 



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 

 common 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 the seeds; drawing the drill some- 

 times with the corner of the hoe, espe- 

 cially 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 

 lands, and other large seeds, both of 

 trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, 

 require a deep angular drill, drawn 

 with the corner of the hoe, turning the 

 face or edge close to the line, and draw- 

 ing the drill along with an angular 

 bottom evenly, the depth required, 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, 

 holding the edge in a horizontal 

 position. 



Bedding 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 with a rake or spade, 

 half-an-inch or an inch deep into the 

 alleys, the seed is then sown all over 

 the surface of the bed, which being 

 done, the earth in the alleys is imme- 

 diately drawn or cast over the bed, 

 again covering the seeds the same 

 depth, and the surface is raked smooth. 



The method of bedding in sowing 

 by si/tiny 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 

 sizec 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 

 compartments and between rows of 

 small plants, also in flower-beds and 

 borders; and in stirring and fresh 

 earthing the surface of beds occasion- 

 ally, between close placed plants of 

 long standing ; planting and transplant- 

 ing 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 earth- 

 ing the surface between close rows of 

 small plants, in beds and borders, &c., 

 where neither of the two former spades 

 can be readily introduced ; likewise in 

 planting and potting many sorts of 

 small plants, taking 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, growing gradually thin- 

 ner from the middle downward, the 

 tree or handle being generally 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 of taking 

 ready hold, one hand at top and the 

 other below, and with an iron rivet 

 through it to prevent it splitting. Semi- 

 circular or Scooped Spade, has the plate 

 made semicircular like a garden troAvel, 

 and is very useful in taking up plants 

 with balls of earth to preserve them 

 more firmly about the roots. Foster 

 of Stourbridge, and Lyddon of Birming- 

 ham, make very improved spades, 

 wearing with a good edge throughout. 

 SPADO'STYLES. (Derivation not ex- 

 plained. Nat. orcl., Leguminous Plants 



! [Fabaceee], Linn., iO-Decandrin 1- 



| Monogynia. Allied to Pultemvn.) 



Greenhouse evergreen shrub. For culture 



i see Pultencea. 



, S. Sie'beri (Sieber's). 2. Yellow. May. New 

 South Wales. 1824. 



SPANISH BROOM. Spa'rfiumji/'ncciim. 

 SPANISH GARLIC, See Rocambole. 

 SPANISH NUT. Morce'a Sisyri'nchium. 



