GARDENING FOR ALL. 29 
Some has fallen into crevices, others upon stony ground, and 
others under clods. The moisture evaporates from the 
crevices and the seeds cannot germinate, or they fall too 
deeply in the earth. The tender seedlings cannot force their 
way through clods to the light, or uplift stones, and so they 
perish! Pulverise the soil before seed sowing! Harrow 
and cross-harrow it. Fork it, and fork it again, and again if 
necessary! This is labour well spent; it is tilling and 
cultivating the soil for a clear, definite, and sure purpose. 
For most seeds the soil cannot be worked too freely if it is at 
all stiff. Lighter and sandier soils are rarely worked too 
much, therefore break them up and give the delicate seedlings 
a chance to come through. 
