408 SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



mess, hardiness, good root systems, vigor and freedom from disease. 

 Conditions which are unfavorable in any of these respects encourage a soft 

 and spindling growth and result in plants which do not yield as satisfactory 

 results as plants from seed sown in the open. 



Small greenhouses adjoining the farm home should be more common. 

 The cost need not be heavy, as the construction may be exceedingly simple. 

 The farmer may do the work himself at odd times. Old or second-hand pipe 

 may be used for heating. The heating arrangement may be exceedingly 

 simple, perhaps, using no pipe at all and merely setting a small stove in the 

 middle of the house. In case it is not feasible to have a greenhouse, a 

 hotbed may be used to excellent advantage. Cold-frames and hotbeds are 

 described in the next chapter. 



Seed Sowing. — Each vegetable has its own peculiarities as to time and 

 manner of planting, and these peculiarities vary greatly with different 

 climates and soils. Definite information upon these points, as well as 

 upon manyothers, can be best secured from neighboring gardeners who have 

 enjoyed long experience. The requirements for germination are moisture, 

 warmth and air. Light is not necessary, although, of course, it is required 

 immediately after seedlings break the ground. If the best results are 

 to be obtained, the soil must be in excellent physical condition, especially 

 for the smaller and more delicate seeds. These must also be sown a little 

 more thickly than the more vigorous sorts, as is also the case when plant- 

 ings are made very early in the spring when soil conditions are not strictly 

 favorable and when damage by insects or diseases is feared. The skilful 

 gardener should know his soil and his seed in order to sow just right both 

 as regards thickness of sowing and depth of planting. Extreme thickness 

 of sowing results in weak seedlings and requires much tedious work in 

 thinning. Nevertheless, it is better for the novice to plant moderately 

 heavily and to thus insure a good stand, even though some thinning is 

 necessary after the plants have come up. 



Particular attention must be devoted to the covering of the seed after 

 it has been sown. The miniature plant enclosed within the seed coat 

 depends upon the capillary movement of water in the soil for the moisture 

 necessary for its growth. This movement is favored by thoroughly com- 

 pacting the soil, and there is little danger of getting it too firm except in the 

 case of heavy soils and of those which are rather moist at the time. Sowing 

 in drills is preferred to broadcasting because it is easier to sow the seed 

 at uniform depth. The seedlings help each other in breaking ground, and 

 thinning and other work are more easily performed. 



In the smaller gardens, seed is usually sown by hand. An envelope 

 sealed at the side and cut squarely across the end is an excellent aid in this 

 work. It is held the flat way and gently shaken with a movement length- 

 wise of the row, so manipulating it that the seed will drop evenly from the 

 edge. Many gardeners, however, prefer to use the unaided fingers, working 

 the seed over the second joint of the index finger by means of the thumb. 



