THROUGH THE YEAR IN A GARDEN 185 



Carinas, French Marigolds, Lantana, 

 Drummond Phlox, Double Petunias, and 

 other seeds should be sown within doors under 

 cover for later transplanting, Pips of the 

 Lily-of-the- Valley should be started without 

 delay. For vegetables, onions, beets, egg- 

 plants, peppers and tomatoes are among those 

 that should be started from seed in flats. Let- 

 tuce can be sown outside in hotbeds. 



While the experienced garden-makers do not 

 need to be reminded that good soil is essential 

 to the good garden, every one will readily un- 

 derstand the needs of plant physiology, that 

 plants are, after all, very much like living be- 

 ings in respect to their response to environ- 

 ment and proper nourishment, yet how one 

 sees a garden beginner contenting himself with 

 the thought that because he has purchased 

 packages of seeds of his favorite flowers or of 

 the vegetables which may appeal to his palate, 

 and having scattered these seeds upon indif- 

 ferent soil, trusting in his sublime ignorance of 

 gardening essentials to Nature's strugglings 

 against all odds to produce for him the little 

 garden of his dreams. Instead he should be 

 studying soil problems before seeding at all. 



