THE AMERICAN GARDENER. [Chap. 



even desirable, that wet should not come for some 

 days after ground has been moved ; for, if the wet 

 come before the ground be dry at the top, the earth 

 will run together, and will become bound at top. 

 Sow, therefore, if possible, in dry weather, but in 

 freshly-moved ground. 



158. The season for sowing will, of course, find 

 a place under the names of the respective plants ; 

 and, I do hope, that it is, when I am addressing 

 myself to Americans, unnecessary for me to say, 

 that sowing according to the Moon is wholly absurd 

 and ridiculous, and that it arose solely out of the 

 circumstance, that our forefathers, who could not 

 read, had neither Almanack nor Kalendar, to guide 

 them, and who counted by Moons and Festivals in- 

 stead of by Months and Days of Month. 



159. However, it is necessary to observe, that 

 some, and even many, things, which are usually 

 sown in the Spring, would be better sown in the 

 fall ; and, especially when we consider how little 

 time there is for doing all things in the Spring. 

 Parsnips, carrots, beets, onions, and many other 

 things, may be safely sown in the fall. The seed 

 will not perish, if covered by the earth. But, then, 

 care must be taken to sow early enough in the fall 

 for the plants to come up before the frost set in. 

 The seed of all plants will lie safe in this way all 

 the winter, though the frost penetrate to the dis- 

 tance of three feet beneath them, except the seeds 

 of such plants as a slight frost will cut down. The 

 seed of kidney beans, for instance, will rot, if the 

 ground be not warm enough to bring it vp. So 

 will the seed of cucumbers, melons, and Indian 

 Corn, unless buried beyond the reach of the influ 

 ence of the atmosphere. Even early peas would 

 be best sown in the fall, could you have an insu- 



