RAISING FLO^VERS FROM SEED 



through any fault of the seedsman's seeds. 

 At first, when beginning gardening, I laid 

 upon the seedsman all the blame for any fail- 

 ure of the seeds to germinate, but now I know 

 that such is rarely the case. It is either un- 

 favorable weather conditions or carelessness 

 on the part of the gardener. If, when the 

 little germ is about to break through the en- 

 closing husk, it is allowed to become dry for 

 twenty -four hours, it will be killed; while, on 

 the other hand, too much water at this time 

 will also cause it to die. 



Children are generally taught to make 

 their gardens with annuals, but it will be very 

 interesting to the little ones if taught to plant 

 the seeds of the perennials in the spring, to 

 watch them growing through the summer, to 

 separate them into rows in July and then in 

 the autumn to transplant them again to the 

 places where they are to grow. On coming 

 back the next year, their interest will be fur- 

 ther aroused when they find the little plants 

 growing sturdily along, and then see them 



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