THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 97 



and covered over. Even these seeds would germinate if continued 

 moisture is afforded them, but the roots being unable to penetrate the 

 hard bottom soon die. Then see that the soil is loose below and rich 

 enough, but remember that a very rich soil is not advantageous to have 

 a good show of flowers, often the reverse ; it will give you plenty of 

 foliage but few flowers. Draw a portion of the soil away where you 

 intend sowing, regulating the depth according to the size of the seed. 

 For small seed use a sieve to get a little fine soil on which to sow 

 the seed ; sow and cover with the sieve. Many small seeds are lost 

 through insufticient covering as well as being too deep. Large seeds, 

 such as sweet pear, lupins, &c., do not require this care, as they will 

 vegetate under most unfavorable circumstances provided moisture 

 enough is retained. 



' After sowing the seed the soil should be kept moist. If the ground 

 is dry it would be better to wait for a shower of rain, and then do not 

 Ytit the soil dry up until the seeds are well up over the ground. Shade 

 the land or you will be unable to do it properly. Avoid watering if 

 you can, (as this makes the surface hard and crusty and more suscep- 

 tible to drying up), if a fair moisture can be retained without it, but 

 without shade it is impossible to succeed during our bright sunshiny 

 days, for if allowed to become dry at a certain stage your seed is lost 

 forever. Shading may be done by a bit of board raised on one side 

 so as not to press on the soil, but some open substance such as spruce 

 branches is better, as with anything close you will have to remove it 

 when rain falls. 



Bedding in its proper sense is scarcely a subject fit for amateurs to 

 try unless they have the convenience of a hothouse, as it requires 

 several thousand plants to fill a small bed, costing more than most 

 persons would care to expend. I saw an article in one of our Canadian 

 newspapers sometime ago recommending amateurs to try and imitate 

 one of the most intricate beds done by the most expert gardeners at 

 the Crystal Palace, and then said by many who saw it to be not very 

 satisfactory. This bed took some fourteen thousand plants to fill 

 it, and a small bed will take several thousand to carry out a simple 

 design. To the amateur beginner I will give a bed filled in with plants 

 that will not cost more than one dollfir for seed, and few beds will be 

 more attractive, and it will be s\ire to elicit nmcli admiration from 

 those who see it. I would suggest a circular bed of ten feet diameter, 



