Shallow Seed Box. A shallow box is 

 most satisfactory for starting the 

 plants. Suitable ones can usually be 

 secured at a grocery store. Cigar boxes 

 2% or 2^5 inches deep are convenient, 

 but somewhat deeper boxes are more 

 desirable. Three or four will be suffi- 

 cient to provide all the lettuce, cab- 

 bage, and tomatoes used in the aver- 

 age garden. If the box has a tight 

 bottom make a few small holes in this 

 to provide drainage. 



Filling the Seed Box. Slightly more 

 than enough soil to fill the box should 

 be put in loosely and the surplus 

 scraped off with a stick. This will 

 leave the top smooth and level. Press 

 the soil down, preferably using a small 

 piece of board, being careful to leave 

 the surface level. After it is pressed 

 down, the top of the soil should be 

 from one-fourth to one-half inch below 

 the top of the box. If sand is to be 

 had a better stand of plants will usu- 

 ally be secured if the last one-half 

 inch of soil put into the box is sand. 

 In this layer the seed may be sown. 



Sowing the Seeds. With the finger 

 or a dull pointed stick make a shallow 

 trench about one-fourth of an inch 

 deep, preferably crosswise of the box. 

 Using the packet or thumb and fore- 

 finger, scatter the seeds in the trench. 

 The thickness of sowing the seed de- 

 pends largely on its germination capac- 

 ity. Do not sow too thickly as there 

 is then more danger of the young plants 

 rotting off. On the other hand, seed- 

 ing should be thick enough to give a 

 good stand. If the plants are too 

 thick they should be thinned soon after 

 (4) 



