THE GARDEN PRIMER 



The earth-covering should never be deeper than 

 five times, and usually not more than three times, a 

 seed's greatest diameter, when planting out of doors. 



In frames or flats (shallow boxes) indoors a cover- 

 ing equal to the seed's own diameter is sufficient, be- 

 cause in the latter situations the moisture and tempera- 

 ture can be artificially regulated. The greater depth 

 out of doors is simply to insure against drying out and 

 chilling the seeds where there is no means of governing 

 these factors. 



Whether you are going to plant indoors or out, 

 water the soil where the seeds are to go thoroughly the 

 day before putting them in. This will bring it to just 

 the right degree of mellowness at the time of sowing. 



Seeds go into the ground in drills (as do Sweet 

 Peas), in hills (as do Melons), singly that is in con- 

 tinuous rows or in clusters, one at a time or scattered 

 like grass (as do Poppies and Petunias), according to 

 the plant which they will produce. The packet in 

 which each variety comes has printed upon it the 

 method to be followed with the seed enclosed; so that 

 part of it is easy, as these directions are usually 

 reliable always so with first-class seedsmen. 



If you have seeds to sow in drills, lay a board down 

 upon the proposed bed or wherever the seeds are to go, 

 for a "ruler," draw a line along its edge with a pointed 

 stake for a "pencil," dragging it deep into the soil or 

 lightly along its surface according to the depth of drill 

 the diameter of the seed demands; scatter the seeds into 

 this little trough and brush the earth that was pushed 



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