CHAPTER IV. 



SEED SOWING AND TRANSPLANTING FARMER'S KITCHEN 



GARDEN. 



For the Successful Germination of Seed in the land it 



should be placed so as to have a reasonable amount of heat, 

 moisture and air. To secure these conditions in practice, the 

 seed should be imbedded in mellow soil, and this packed around 

 it just firm enough to bring it into actual contact with and 

 make sure capillary action in ine soil. If the soil is left loose 

 over and around the seed, capillary action cannot continue, and 

 the seed is liable to dry out unless the season is very wet; on 

 the other hand, the soil must not be allowed to become too com- 

 pact over the seed, or the young seedling will not be able to push 

 through it. No matter how carefully the sowing may have been 

 done, the successful germination of the seed is largely dependent 

 upon the condition of the ground. Unless the seed is carefully 

 and properly placed and covered, the crop cannot get a good start 

 no matter how well the land has been prepared or how good 

 the seed is. Seed will not sprout in the absence of air, and on 

 this account when deeply buried some weed seeds may retain 

 their germinating power for many years. Cases are on record of 

 yellow mustard seeds germinating after remaining in the land 

 for eighteen years. Very frequently, on plowing land that has 

 not been stirred for a long time, the weeds of certain kinds are 

 very abundant, showing that they must have been in the soil a 

 long time, but could not germinate away from the air. 



Depth to Plant. — Most of the common, smaller garden seeds 

 are planted one inch deep; celery and some other fine seeds 

 cannot be planted nearly so deep. Peas and corn are generally 

 planted from two to three inches deep. Peas, however, are some- 

 times planted as deep as six inches. These matters will be 

 found referred to under their respective heads. 



Always Sow In Freshly Stirred Ground, as the seed Is far 



