SEEDS. 



287 



the seeds of the Brassica family, mustard, and other cruciferous plants.'^ 

 —Ency, of Gard. 



As the temperature of this pit must be kept up from sixty degrees to 

 seventy degrees and upwards, it matters not, so far as heat is concerned, 

 at what season the seed be sown : it is the want of sun-heat and Hght 

 that operates against them while just coming into a state of vegetation, 

 for want of which they are very apt to damp or die off just as they get 

 above the ground. Seeds that arrive from September till December had 

 better be kept unsown, unless it be such as are of large size, or hard 

 shelled, and which requii'e to lie a long time in the ground before germina- 

 tion takes place : these latter may be sown as soon as they are received. 



The soil in which Tropical seeds soonest vegetate, is that called vege- 

 table mould of decayed leaves, and a small portion of hght, sandy loam. 

 They should be sown in pots of the size called thirty-twos, and these 

 must be well drained, the surface of the mould in them made very smooth 

 and firm, upon which the smallest seeds are to be sown, and covered to 

 about the depth of the diameter of their respective sizes. ^Mien sown, the 

 pots should be plunged to the brim in the bed of the pit, providing the 

 heat be not too strong, in which case it will be well to half plunge them 

 first, and afterwards to theu' full depth. A slight watering should be 

 given them when sown, but this ^111 not be often necessary, particularly 

 during winter, as the steam arising from the bed and linings will be 

 abundant, and by condensing upon the under surface of the glass will 

 fall back on the mould in the shape of dew. Their whole treatment during 

 winter is to regulate the temperatui'e by renewing the linings, for the 

 bed must not be disturbed till spring, and to guard against an extra degree 

 of damp and impurity of air from want of sufficient ventilation. 



Seeds as they arrive are to be sown m the same manner. In spring, 

 when the weather becomes mild, a regulation of the seed-bed may take 

 place by removing the seed-pots into another pit or hot-house for a day to 

 allow of the bed being turned, and fresh tan or leaves added ; and when 

 that is completed, the pots in which the seedhngs are not yet advanced to a 

 state fit for transplanting should be replunged again. Such as are fit for 

 transplanting should be carefully taken out and placed in small pots of 

 the size of small or large sixties, as the case may be. These should be 

 again plunged into the bed, either in the division set apart for seed-pots, 

 or in that in which cuttings are placed. Here they should remain till 

 they have taken %vith the mould, and can stand the smi without shading. 

 It is necessar^^ that this kind of pit be di\ided into two or three 

 compartments ; one, for example, for seed-pots, one for cuttings, and one 



