90 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



The Time Of Sowing all indigenous seeds in any locality 

 is most favorable when they naturally fall from the plants. 

 Hardy annuals, likewise, do much better if sown in au- 

 tumn, or quite early in the spring. If not in the ground 

 early, they flower late and badly. There are some excep- 

 tions, as in the case of haws and cedar berries, which hang 

 until swallowed by birds, and sprout more freely after 

 having undergone the digestive process. Some exotics 

 of a hardy character likewise succeed best when sown at 

 the time the seed falls, vegetating in autumn, growing 

 slowly through the colder months, and progressing rap- 

 idly when spring opens. Others coming from a different 

 climate, starting into growth in autumn, would perish 

 during the winter months ; but kept and sown when the 

 temperature of the air and soil in spring is suitable 

 for vegetating them, they will advance rapidly as the 

 weather becomes more and more favorable to growth. 

 In some cases where it might be best to sow at the 

 natural period, if the aim was simply to continue the spe- 

 cies, other motives render it necessary to sow at other 

 times. A succession of flowers or a continued supply of 

 vegetables during the season may, in the case of annual 

 or biennial plants, make repeated sowings at proper inter- 

 vals desirable. 



Trees and shrubs it is well to sow, if practicable, at the 

 natural period, but it is desirable the seedlings should not 

 make their appearance above ground until a favorable 

 season for growth. This is most readily secured in the 

 case of seeds that do not keep well dry by stratification 

 or mixing them with soil in autumn, but not encouraging 

 growth until spring. This is done by placing a layer of 

 seeds upon the surface of the soil, then a layer an inch or 

 two thick of sand or light soil, and so on, the whole being 

 laid so as to form a cone, over which is spread a covering 

 of soil to protect from wet and frost. This should be 

 done where least likely to invite the attacks of mice and 



