SEED SOWING AND TRANSPLANTING. 



45 



over the rows a second time. It is a good plan in doing this 

 to remove the drill point or else tip the machine until the 

 point is off the ground. In the case of a few seeds that are 

 rather delicate about germinating, it is a good plan to sow the 

 rows a second time with the seed drill and thus mix the seed 

 up with the soil. This method puts in a large amount of seed, 

 leaves the seed at various depths, and some of it is sure to 

 grow. 



Sowing Seed by Hand. — When only a very small quantity of 

 seed is to be sown it is often best to sow it by hand. When this 

 is the plan the rows are made by the garden maker and the 

 seed distributed in them evenly by hand. The rows are then 

 covered by the soil being drawn into them with a rake and are 

 firmed by passing over the seed with the feet. If the soil is 

 dry it cannot be made too firm; if moist, care must be used 

 to prevent packing it too hard. In the case of very fine seed 

 sown in dry weather, many devices are used to bring about 

 germination such as watering, shading the soil with boards, 

 covering the earth with cloths and the like. 



Using the Feet for Firming the Soil Around the Seeds. — 



Many seeds are lost from the failure to properly firm the soil 

 over those sown during dry weather. Many devices have been 

 suggested and used for securing this desirable condition, but 

 for general garden purposes no method or implement ever used 

 can vie with the proper use of the feet for this purpose. While 

 this matter is referred to elsewhere, it is put under this special 

 head to call attention to this useful fiict. Peter Henderson was 

 the first to call attention to the importance of this method, and 

 describes it as follows: "After plowing, harrowing and leveling 

 the land smoothly, lines are drawn by the 'markers,' which 

 make furrows about two inches deep and a foot apart. After 

 the man who sows the seed follows another who, with the ball 

 of his right foot, presses down his full weight on every inch 

 of soil where the seed has been sown; the rows are then 

 slightly levelled longitudinally with the rake, a light roller is 

 passed over them and the work is done." Those who have 

 practiced this method know it gives most excellent results. In 

 my own practice, in sowing seed in dry weather, even with a 



