116 MANUAL OF GARDENING 
Whether it has any special requirements as to germina- 
tion, and whether it transplants well. 
Whether it is specially liable to attack by.insects or 
disease. 
Whether it has a special inability to grow two years in 
succession on the same land. 
Having suited the situation to the plant, and having pre- 
pared the ground well and made a resolution to keep it well, 
special attention must be given to such matters as these: — 
Guarding from all insects and diseases; and also from cats 
and chickens and dogs; and likewise from rabbits and 
mice. 
Protecting from weeds. 
Pruning, in the case of fruit trees and bushes, and also of 
ornamental woody plants on occasion, and sometimes 
even of annual herbs. 
Staking and tying, particularly of sprawly garden flowers. 
Persistent picking of seed pods or dead flowers from flower 
plants, in order to conserve the strength of the plant and 
to prolong its season of bloom. 
Watering in dry weather (but not sprinkling or dribbling). 
Thorough winter protecting of plants that need it. 
Removing dead leaves, broken branches, weak and sickly 
plants, and otherwise keeping the place tidy and trim. 
Sowing the seeds. 
Prepare the surface earth well, to make a good seed-bed. 
Plant when the ground is moist, if possible, and preferably just 
before arain if the soil is of such character that it will not bake. 
For shallow-planted seeds, firm the earth above them by walk- 
ing over the row or by patting it down with a hoe. Special 
care should be exercised not to sow very small and slow-ger- 
minating seeds, as celery, carrot, onion, in poorly prepared soil 
