SSED SOWING dc. 43 



PRBPABATION OF THE SOIL FOR SOWING SEEDS 



Seeds are sown out of doors, either in beds, or in rows or ' drills ' as 

 they are often called. In whatever way they are sown the ground 

 must first of all be specially prepared for their reception. It should 

 as a rule be well dug or trenched some time previously, so that it will 

 have had sufficient time to settle down afterwards. The surface must 

 be made fine, and should be quite free from clods or lumps. As a rule 

 seed beds are level, but they may under certain circumstances, where 

 the soil, for instance, is naturally heavy and wet, be raised, with alleys 

 about a foot wide between them, the better for thinning out, weeding 

 &c. afterwards. Under south walls, the beds may be sUghtly inclined 

 so as to catch more benefit from the sun's rays in early spring. The soil 

 being thus warmed naturally excites growth, and the seedlings appear 

 rather earlier than if sown under other conditions. 



The necessity for a fine surface is obvious when it is remembered 

 that the seeds of a vast number of plants are very small. If the soil 

 were in a rough state and somewhat lumpy, the small seeds would 

 sink down much too deep, and the young plants would probably never 

 see the light of day ; or if they did it would be in such a weak and 

 exhausted state that they would recover only with very great difficulty. 



The upper surface of the soil may be made fine in various ways. 

 It may be sifted and afterwards levelled with a rake ; or, if it is in a 

 good friable condition, any lumps in it may be readily crushed with 

 the spade or fork, before levelling properly with the rake. 



The soil also may be trodden down well with the feet or a very 

 light roller. This will secure evenness and consistency throughout, 

 and will afford a much better run for the roots than if it is left very 

 loose and powdery. 



COVEEING SEEDS 



There is a vast range of variation in the size of seeds — some being 

 like dust and scarcely discernible, while others, like the Pea, Bean, 

 Horse Chestnut &c. are large enough to be handled quite easily. 

 The well-known seed of the Coco-nut Palm is one of the largest 

 seeds known, while those of our British and exotic Orchids are 

 among the very smallest. Similar to these latter are the spores or 

 ' seeds ' of Ferns, while those of Ehododendrons, Azaleas, and many 

 other plants of the Heath order (p. 574) are very little larger. Such a 

 difference in size naturally suggests a difference in treatment in regard 

 to covering seeds. The rough and ready principle usually adopted is 

 to cover seeds with soil equalling their own depth or diameter, and for 

 all practical purposes this is found to work very well. Minute seeds. 



