A SIMPLE FLOWER GARDEN. 



19 



THE TIME TO PLANT 



depends upon the location and season. It is useless to put 

 seeds into the ground before the soil becomes warm and dry. 

 This seldom happens, in the latitude of Boston, before the 

 first week in May. The season also varies. One year the 

 proper time for planting may be delayed for a few days. 

 This must be taken into account by the planter. One 

 guide in this will be to take up a handful of the garden 

 loam and close the fingers tightly upon it. If, on opening 

 the hand, the soil remains in a hard lump, and retains the 

 imprint of the fingers, it is too wet. If it falls apart in 

 an irregular heap upon the palm, planting is in order. An- 

 other guide will be found in the forest trees. When , they 

 put forth their young leaves, all nature is ready for active 

 work. Seeds planted then germinate at once, and seldom 

 fail to come up and grow vigorously. Nothing is gained 

 by very early planting. Better be a grain late than too 

 early. 



BOW TO PLANT. 



How deep and how thickly puzzles the beginner. The 

 size of the seed settles these questions. The larger the 

 seeds, the wider apart they may be scattered. The smaller 

 the seeds, the slighter the covering. To plant very small 

 seeds, smooth the soil down fine and level with the back 

 of the trowel. Scatter the seed thickly over the surface, 

 and then simply pat the soil with the trowel, and so press 

 the seeds into it. A very gentle shower from the water- 



