52 



SOIL AN IMPORTANT FACTOR 



What Good Tilth Implies. — Very often a farmer is deceived in 

 thinking that the looser the soil or seed bed becomes through 



FiG. 20. — The secret in planting garden seeds properly. Place the seeds in a shallow 

 trench made in a firm, moist seed bed, cover seeds lightly with fine, moist soil, press the 

 soil on the seeds to secure good contact between the soil and the seeds (C), then cover 

 with loose soil (D). 



Fig. 21. — The difference it makes. Radish seeds in row A were planted loosely in 

 moist soil, while those in row B, though planted the same time, were pressed in close con- 

 tact with the moist soil, as in Fig. 20. This principle in seed-planting applies generally. 



plowing and harrowing, the more excellent the tilth or seed bed. 

 Good tilth does not imply just looseness or mellowness of the seed 

 bed — it means a certain degree of firmness or compactness as well. 



