How to Grow Plants from Seeds 



173 



against the seeds, so that 

 the soil water can pass 

 into them and the first 

 roots of the little plants 

 can readily come into 

 contact with the soil. 

 It also increases the 

 amount of water in a 

 given volume of the soil 

 by pressing the soil parti- 

 cles closer together, thus 

 reducing the air space. 



A sandy soil or a dry, 

 loose soil should be 

 firmed by walking slowly 

 along the row of planted 

 and covered seeds, tread- 

 ing the soil with the ball 

 of the foot but not with 

 the heel . A loam should 

 be firmed in the same 

 way when it is dry. If 



a soil is moist, light strokes with the back of the hoe 

 will press it down sufficiently under most circumstances. 

 When very dry, a clay soil may thus be firmed with 

 the hoe ; but firming down a moist clay soil in any 

 manner will make it too compact. 



After the firming, fine dust from between the rows 

 should be lightly raked over the planted row. This 

 leaves' a thin layer of dust mulch over the compacted or 

 firmed soil. 



FIG. 99. Covering the seeds. Fine soil 

 should be drawn carefully and evenly over 

 the row. 



