A SIMPLE BIRD SGAEEE. 



41 



such means can the tendency to deterioration which is exhibited by 

 all cultivated plants be counteracted. 



The conditions which most affect the germination of seeds are of 

 vital moment to every vegetable grower. There are still some of the 

 old school who look upon the phases of the moon as the ruling power 



1 SEET j 



1 1 i 









;/l5TER ! J 



FIG. 16.-MATCHB0X SEED 

 STORE. 



This shows the matchbox seed 

 store (see p. 40), wieh labels 

 affixed. 



in this matter, but most of us are less exalted, and look earthward, 

 leaving the moon to her own duties. There are other growers who 

 have a calendar, and stick to it religiously. A calendar is useful as 

 a guide, but need not be obeyed as a dictator. 



The real arbiter as to the proper date of sowing is, of course, the 

 weather. AYith a crisp December and .January, a wet February, and 



6 IN 



F/G / 



FIG. 17.-A SIMPLE BIRD 

 SCARER. 



Get a piece of tin 6 inches 

 sq[iiare (Fig. 1), cut 

 from each corner to- 

 wards the middle. Bore 

 a hole through each 

 corner (1, 2, 3, 4), and 

 one in the middle. 

 Turn each corner to- 

 wards the middle, pass 

 a long nail through 

 the holes, and drive it 

 into a stake (Fig. 2). 

 This rattles vigorously 

 in the wind. 



a mellow March, sowing may go forward apace, for frost has 

 sweetened the soil, rain moistened it, and sun warmed it. There is 

 little gained by sowing when the soil is in bad condition, that is, very 

 dry, or very wet, or very cold. When the soil is in the pleasant 

 intermediate state represented by its clinging lightly, yet not pastily, 

 to the tools, it is in the right state for sowing. 



Many ve^-etables may be regarded as possessing a very wide 

 range of sowing or planting season. Carrots, for example, may be 



