40 



GARDENING FOR PLEASURE. 



tiful plants of the House-Leek family, produces no bud 

 from the base of the leaf, as nearly all the other species 

 do, but to make up, it seeds abundantly, and so with 

 hundreds of other plants to which our space will not per- 

 mit us to refer. There is no rule by which we can des- 

 ignate what plants are best propagated by seeds, and 

 what by cuttings, exj)erience being the only teacher, and 

 even the experience of a lifetime is too short for those 

 of us that have had the largest practice. 



Seedling plants can be nearly as well raised in the win- 

 dow of a sitting-room or parlor, provided the tempera- 

 ture is right, as in a greenhouse, for seeds do not need a 

 strong direct light while germinating, in fact that is 

 often a difficulty in a greenhouse, as the surface of the 

 seed-bed dries up too quickly in the direct sunshine, ne- 

 cessitating watering, which bakes the surface. The best 

 thing wherein to sow seeds is shallow boxes ; these need 

 not be more than two or three inches deep, with open 

 seams at the bottom through which water will drain 

 quickly. Fill the boxes within half an inch of the top 

 with light rich earth ; if it can be procured, nothing is 

 better than black leaf-mold from the woods, or light 

 sandy soil mixed with an equal bulk of stable manure, so 

 rotted as to resemble leaf -mold, it will not answer un- 

 less rotted as fine as dust. In the absence of either of 

 these, sweepings from a paved street are excellent, mixed 

 with light sandy soil, the object in all cases being light- 

 ■ness of the soil or mold in which the seed is to be sown ; 

 for if tiny seeds, as many of our flower-seeds are, are 

 embedded in a stiff soil, the germ in many of them is too 

 weak to push its way to the light. When the proper soil 

 has been secured, pat it down with a smooth board until 

 it is as smooth and level as it well can be, then sow the 

 seed carefully over the surface, distributing it evenly, 

 then take a common kitchen sieve and sift just so much 

 earth evenly over the seed as will cover it and no more ; 



