SOWING THE SEED. 31 



of the material used, remembering that it is not well 

 to have any chemicals in too close proximity to the 

 tender rootlets of the young plants; and while poor 

 soil is no place in which to grow healthy plants, 

 yet they should not be over stimulated, but the 

 ground must be in proper condition to keep up a 

 vigorous and healthy growth. Let this digging be 

 done in the latter part of the afternoon when the 

 sun has spent its force and the soil will not dry out 

 two quickly; rake the bed as you go, and sow the 

 seed while the surface soil is fresh and moist, using 

 a ten -inch board as long as your bed is wide, which 

 place five or six inches from the end or head of the 

 frame, crosswise, and with a blunt stick, say three - 

 fourths of an inch in diameter, draw a mark not 

 more than one-half an inch deep along each edge of 

 the board; sow the seed thinly in these marks, 

 using the thumb and finger to guide it; then turn- 

 ing the board twice, sow two more rows, and so 

 proceed until you have sown several rows, say 12 

 to 20, when they must be covered, using the back 

 of a spade, drawing it with some pressure half way 

 from each side of the bed. A very important part 

 of this operation which must not be overlooked is to 

 get the seed in and covered while the ground is fresh 

 and damp; therefore complete the work in sec- 

 tions. At the distance given the hoe can be used 

 and the soil stirred between the rows, which is 



