96 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



C H AFTER XII. 

 THE USE OF THE FEET IN SOWING AND PLANTING. 



[Read before the National Association of Nurserymen, held at Cleveland, O., 

 by Peter Henderson.] 



It may be useless to throw out any suggestions in rela- 

 tion to horticultural operations to such a body of prac- 

 tical men as is now before me. Yet I candidly admit 

 that, although I have been extensively engaged in gar- 

 dening operations for over a quarter of a century, I did 

 not fully realize, until a few years ago, the full impor- 

 tance of how indispensable 'it was to use the feet in the 

 operations of sowing and planting. 



For some years past I have, in writing on gardening 

 matters, insisted upon the great importance of " firming " 

 the soil over the seeds after sowing, especially when the 

 soil is dry, or likely to become so. I know of no oper- 

 ation of more importance in either the farm or garden, 

 and I trust that what I am about to say will be read arid 

 remembered by every one not yet aware of the vast im- 

 portance of the practice. I say "vast importance/' for 

 the loss to the agricultural and horticultural community 

 from the habit of loosely sowing seeds or setting out 

 plants in hot and dry soils, is of a magnitude which few 

 will believe until they have witnessed it ; and it is a 

 loss all the more to be regretted, when we know that by 

 " firming" the soil around the seed or plant, there is, in 

 most cases, a certain preventive. 



Particularly in the sowing of seeds, I consider the 

 matter of such great importance that it cannot be too 

 often or too strongly told ; for the loss to the agricultural 

 and horticultural community by the neglect of the 

 simple operation of firming the soil around the seed 



