28 MAKING OF A FLOWER GARDEN 



rear of the bed in order that they may not overshadow 

 the lower growths. Cosmos, gourds and Cobaea scan- 

 dens are a few of the plants that should be relegated 

 to the rear. 



Plant each variety of seed either in long rows across 

 the bed, especially those seeds that are sown in drills, 

 or in little squares by themselves, separating each 

 square &r section by narrow strips of wood pressed 

 into the ground. This prevents the seed of one plat 

 washing into the next if too much water happens to 

 be received at a time; it is also of much advantage 

 when the time comes to transplant the plants to the 

 garden, especially in the case of several colors of the 

 same plant — as in the case of asters, which would 

 be difficult to distinguish, but you will know, by the 

 dividing strip of wood, that all on one side are white, 

 on another pink, and so on. 



Very fine seed like begonias, carnations, etc., should 

 not be planted directly in the ground of the hotbed, 

 but rather in shallow boxes — codfish boxes and half 

 size cigar boxes are about right — and these set on the 

 surface of the soil ; other fine seed may be sown broad- 

 cast over the surface of the soil, pressed down with 

 the board and then be covered lightly with fine sand 

 sifted over. Somewhat coarser seed may be sown on 

 the surface and have an eighth of an inch of fine 

 earthi sifted over ; other seed may be sown in shallow 

 drills and the earth pressed back over it and quite 



