MAKING THE SOIL FOUNDATION 



21 



from seed such plants as cyclamens, ciner- 

 arias, Chinese primroses and begonias, 

 leafmould is a necessity. Where manure 

 is not obtainable one of these three forms 

 of vegetable mould must be used to supply 

 the necessary humus; the plant food can 

 then be added in the form of a complete 

 fertilizer which may be bought from any 

 seedsman. 



Peat is very scarce in this country, and 

 so is quite expensive; but it can be bought 

 from nearly all the dealers in seeds or bulbs. 



Leafmould and muck are much easier to 

 obtain, and usually cost nothing outside of 

 the labour necessary to collect them. When 

 the foliage is falling, late in September or 

 in October, is the best time to lay in a stock 

 of next year's leafmould. 



If there is no hardwood timber land 

 nearby, where you can get clean leaves, 

 then rake up the leaves which have fallen 

 in the street. Maple leaves are best, but 

 those of the elm and oak Vv^ill do. Some- 

 times an arrangement can be made with 

 the city em.ployees to dump in the back 

 yard all the leaves they gather in cleaning 

 the streets. In this v/ay, and at no cost, 



