60 



OF PROPAGATION. 



SECT. V. 



in general to be frefh from year to year ; though if 

 kept dry, and from much air, many forts will grow that 

 are older : curious flower feeds are kept well in vials : 

 others may be in fmall drawers, and fome hung up, or 

 kept on (helves in their pods. 



Seeds may be forwarded for fowing by various ways 

 of procuring a germination before they are put into 

 the ground. In fummer it has not been unufual to Jleep 

 both broad and kidney beans in foft water, or milk and 

 water, about twenty-four hours, to forward their 

 growth, and to afcertain their vitality. If the ground 

 is very dry when thefe feeds are committed to it, either 

 fleeped, or not, it is a good way to make drills or 

 trenches to plant them in, watering them well firft, 

 and then preffing the feed in a little. Any fort of the 

 broad beans, or even peas, may be forwarded, when 

 ground is not for the prefent ready, by laying them in 

 damp mould, in a garden pot, or otherwise, a layer of 

 earth, and a layer of feeds, &c. and they may be put 

 into drills or trenches (with care) when the radicle has 

 got fome length, the mould being light, and the work 

 fini fhed by a gentle watering. 



The-fmaller feeds, as carrots. Sec. may be prepared 

 for fowing, by fimply mixing them in a little moid 

 fand, or fine earth, taking care that they do not lie 

 longer than the ufual time of their beginning to fprout : 

 but this praftice need only be adopted for feeds that 

 are long in coming up, and then there is fome advan- 

 tage in having them to fow in a flate ready to flrike im- 

 mediately, on frefh dug earth. 



The feafon for committing feeds to the ground, mould 

 be as early as the nature of the plant to be cultivated 

 will bear ; for the forward produftions whic 1 ^ come 

 without forcing, are the beft as to fize, flavour, and 

 iruitfulnefs, if they meet with no material check irom 

 weather. It is the proper ambition of gardeners alfo, 

 to have fome of ihz jirjl of each kind of vegetables and 

 fruits, and thus to vie with others* 



Let 



