50 SEED AND ITS NEEDS 



impossible to set a definite date for the sowing of the seed, 

 since the season, the climate, the moisture and the location 

 vary so much that good judgment must be used in every 

 locality. The local vegetation should be used as an index in 

 determining the proper time of planting. As an example of 

 this the seed of hardy plants, such as the peas, the onions, 

 and the radishes, are usually sown when the peaches begin 

 to bloom, or as soon as the land can be worked in the spring. 

 Other crops which are not so hardy should be sown about a 

 week or ten days later. Warm, tender plants, as the tomato, 

 the egg plant, the pepper and many others, should not be 

 planted until all danger of frost has past. The time at which 

 the last frost occurs, of course, varies in all localities as well 

 as in different seasons. In the South the seed can be sown 

 earlier, while farther North, where the season is later, the seed 

 must necessarily be sown later. In the sowing of seed it is 

 always a good practice to sow a larger amount than is neces- 

 sary to secure a good stand, because this will ensure against 

 any loss from unavoidable causes. The extra cost in the sow- 

 ing of twice the amount of seed required is very small in com- 

 parison with the time and space lost when a poor stand results. 



Sowing of Seed. — There are two methods by which seed 

 are sown: (1) broadcasting and (2) sowing in drills. Broad- 

 casting is the distribution of seed freely over the surface from 

 the open hand through the thumb and fingers. There are 

 also several kinds of hand seeders on the market, all of which 

 broadcast the seed. The most simple kind of hand seeder 

 and the one that is most often used for the seeding of grass 

 and other small seed is one with a rotating distribution. This 

 seeder consists of a star-shaped wheel, which is given a rapid 

 rotation by gearing from a crank. A bag is provided with 

 straps which may be carried from the shoulder and the 

 distributing device placed at the bottom. The seeder is 

 confined principally to small areas and often used in the 

 seeding of lawns. 



Watering of the Seedlings. — Watering is seldom done prop- 

 erly by the amateur, and in many cases this is the cause of 

 failure. It is impossible to lay down definite rules which can 

 be followed, but a few suggestions might be offered which will 



