The professional gardener sows seeds through the 

 torn corner of the envelope to get even distribution 



An easy way for the amateur is to place them in 

 the palm of one hand, scattering with the other 



Very large seeds may be sown in a row one by one 

 and about two inches apart, to save thinning 



The Trick of Sowing Flower Seeds— By H. s. Adams 



MAKING LIGHT WORK OF THE JOB — THE RIGHT WAY-TO HANDLE SEEDS OF DIFFER- 

 ENT SIZES FOR GROWING WHERE THEY ARE SOWN OR FOR TRANSPLANTING LATER 



Con- 

 necticut 



PERHAPS more often than not, grand- 

 mother's way of planting seeds is 

 followed in this day and generation. Her 

 way was to plant the seeds, in rows or 

 circular patches, wherever her garden 

 offered the space, the spot being marked 

 by the seed envelope impaled on a stick, 

 or strip of shingle. If the chickens were 

 likely to be running around loose, there 

 was a little protective fence of twigs. 



With all due respect to grandmother, 

 this is not a very good way. No doubt 

 she, in her time, guarded against failure 

 — as she did in so many other concerns 

 of her well-ordered life — by "an infinite 

 capacity for taking pains"; but in this 

 day and generation the fewer flower seeds 

 planted in that fashion the better. Barring 

 the rare annuals, like poppies, that can not 

 be transplanted and certain very large 

 seeds, such as the four o'clock, it is wiser 

 not to fly in the face of Providence. The 

 soil may bake in the sun or the seeds wash 

 out in the rain, and while you can always 

 fall back on the time-honored complaint 

 that the seed was "no good," the chances 

 are very slight that you will be right. 



Not only because both of these adverse 

 conditions can be met successfully and the 

 seed cared for more conveniently, but 



because a good start of the season is made, 

 a coldframe, or even a shallow box in a 

 sunny home window, is preferable. Being, 

 of necessity, a somewhat intermittent 

 gardener, my choice of the two is the 

 coldframe; it needs much less watching 

 in the matter of the soil baking. Far 

 from being at all particular as to the 

 style of coldframe, I temporize with 

 whatever is handy, pending the day when 

 I shall have a line of the real thing. I used 

 to get along with four old boards, laid on 

 edge and pegged, and a window sash or 

 two to complete the outfit. Now I have 

 gone a peg nearer to professional respect 

 . by taking a shallow 3x6 packing box, 

 made of inch wood; knocking out the 

 bottom and sinking it a little way in the 

 ground. It takes two sash and answers 

 all ordinary requirements. 



If there is any question of the drainage 

 being good, a thin layer of ashes is a proper 

 foundation for such a seed bed. The 

 filling, to within about three inches of the 

 top of the frame, should be good, rich soil 

 loosened, if need be, by the addition of a 

 little sand. Sift in the filling, to avoid 

 lumpy soil; reduce the surface to a rough 

 level and then pack firmly. I use an old 

 soap-stone, 6x9 inches, for a packer; 



but a piece of smooth board, about the same 

 size, and fitted with a wooden handle for 

 the hand to grasp when pressing, is better. 



When the soil thus is made firm, the 

 actual sowing is done according to the 

 size of the seed. The finest seed may 

 be scattered broadcast after the man- 

 ner of the professional head gardener, who 

 tears off a corner of the envelope and 

 lets the tiny grains fall gently and evenly 

 through the opening. My own way is 

 to pour the contents of the envelope — 

 or as much of it as I think I shall need 

 ■ — into the palm of the left hand and, with 

 the thumb and two fingers of the right, 

 take a pinch of seed and scatter it. In 

 the latter case, of course, both hands must 

 be quite dry; otherwise the seed will 

 stick to them. Usually I sift a little fine 

 soil on top and press once more; but some 

 prefer to leave the seed on the surface, 

 as nature does. 



In the case of the general run of seed I 

 make shallow rows the narrow way of the 

 coldframe, sometimes the merest scratch, 

 and sprinkle the seed in either one of the 

 two ways mentioned. Then I sift a little 

 soil on top and press down. Very large 

 seeds, such as the morning glory and 

 nasturtium, I find it easier to place in the 



Baking and washing of soil are most easily regulated 

 by watering through a piece of white cotton cloth 



Two ways of shading a seed bed in summer: boards 

 for heavy, and slats for light, protection 



78 



An improvised coldframe. A shallow box. with the 

 bottom knocked out. is sunk in the ground 



