AND FLOWER-GARDEN DIRECTORY. 9 
PREPARATION OF THE GROUND. 
This important and requisite object is easily accomplished if the 
ground is spaded deep and equal and turned over equally with the 
part which constitutes the surface and well pulverized. In many 
instances these precautions are neglected, the ground being spaded 
in a shallow manner. When this is the case, the object is only 
partly attained, for the food of the plants can only be imperfectly 
procured. Ground should never be spaded in wet weather if 
avoidable, for sourerness and adhesion then takes place, which is 
rarely overcome until the operation is again repeated, and which 
will prove very injurious, if not fatal, to the plants inserted there- 
in. Ifthe grounds need enriching, manure should be applied late 
in the fall and well dug in,early in the following spring. 
SOWING SEED. 
The ground having been prepared in accordance with the di- 
rections above, the beds should be well raked and leveled, and 
the seed sown in small patches, each kind by itself, or in drills, 
from an eighth to half an inch in depth, according to the size and 
nature of the seed. Annual flower-seed should be sown in April, 
May, or June, according to their hardiness.—(See Classification 
of Plants.) Many flower-seed are planted so deep that they can- 
not vegetate, such as Sweet Alyssum and other small seed, when 
the Amateur readily concludes that they were old and worthless, 
and the seedsman is sure to receive unmerited censure. Aw a 
general rule, if the very smazt flower-seed, such as Sweet Alys- 
sum, Portulacca, Petunia, &c., be sown broadcast, and not cov- 
ered, provided the ground has been well pulverized, they will do 
much better than when sown by the ordinary method. If the seed 
of the Cypress Vine, Morning Glory, &¢., be soaked in warm wa- 
