96 Home Vegetable Gardening 



weeding and hoeing, being all done in one direction, 

 as with drills. "Hills" refer to the growing of plants 

 usually at equal distances, four feet or more apart 

 each way, with cultivating done in both directions, 

 as with melons and squashes. I describe the differ- 

 ent methods at length so that the reader may know 

 more definitely just what is meant by the special 

 instructions given in the following pages. 



SOWING THE SEED 



If one observes the suggestions as to temperature 

 just given, and the following precautions in placing 

 the seed within the soil, failure of good seed to 

 germinate is practically impossible. In the first 

 place, plant on a freshly prepared surface, always 

 just before a rain if possible, except in the case of 

 very small seeds, when just after a rain will be 

 better. If the soil is at all dry, or likely to be fol- 

 lowed by a spell of hot, dry weather, always firm 

 by using the back of the hoe for small seed, or the 

 ball of the foot for larger ones, such as peas, beans 

 or corn, to press the seed firmly and evenly into the 

 soil before covering (see illustration facing p. 93). 

 Then when the soil is covered in over the seed, firm 

 along the top of the row very lightly, just enough 

 to mark it and hold the soil in place. 



The depth of the drill furrow in which the seed 

 is to be sown will depend ( i ) on the variety of vege- 



