OF ANNUALS 



attempt made to cover it. Simply press down 

 the soil upon which you have scattered it with 

 a smooth board. This will make it firm enough 

 to retain the moisture required to bring about 

 germination. 



Larger seed can be sown on the surface, and 

 afterward covered by sifting a slight covering of 

 fine soil over it. Then press with the board to 

 make it firm. 



Large seed, like that of the Sweet Pea, Four- 

 o'-Clock, and Ricinus, should be covered to the 

 depth of half an inch. 



I always advise sowing seed in the beds where 

 the plants are to grow, instead of starting it in 

 pots and boxes, in the house, early in the season, 

 under the impression that by so doing you are 

 going to " get the start of the season." In 

 ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, plants from 

 seed sown in the house will be so weak in vital 

 force that they cannot stand the change which 

 comes when they are transplanted to the open 

 ground. In the majority of cases, there will be 

 none to transplant, for seedlings grown under 

 living-room conditions generally die before the 

 time comes when it is safe to put them out of 

 doors. Should there be any to put out, they 

 will be so weak that plants from seed sown in the 



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