182 



THE GREEN-HOUSE. 



If the seeds are large, such as nuts or stones, then 

 the pots must not be filled so full by half an inch or 

 an inch, and the nut or stone when planted must be 

 pressed into the soil, and the soil over it pressed 

 well down on it, so as it may be compactly inclosed 

 in earth. 



There is not an operation among all the processes 

 of culture more essential to growth, than that of 

 pressing the soil to roots, seeds or cuttings, newly 

 inserted in it. Even the common cabbage will not 

 grow if this point be neglected. This the sagacious 

 Cobbett adverts to in a strong manner in his book on 

 American Horticulture, justly observing, that it is not 

 sufficient in dibbling-in cabbages to make them firm, 

 but they must be made firm at the extreme point of the 

 root. Tlie same thing may be said of all descriptions of 

 cuttings, which, whether of heaths or of vines or goose- 

 berries, must be made quite firm at their lower extre - 

 mities. W e have seen many crops, both of the field 

 and the garden, fail for want of pressure on the seeds ; 

 and the late Mr. Gushing, who was one of our best 

 exotic gardeners in his day, observes of seeds in pots, 

 that he has ' witnessed in many of the nurseries, as 

 well as gardens, seeds sown, and left not only with- 

 out being pressed in, but almost uncovered ; the evil 

 tendency of which in places that should set the ex- 

 ample, at least in sowing of seeds, must be evident 

 to the commonest observer.' {Exotic Gardener, p. 5.) 



If the parcels of seeds are small, two or three may 

 be sown in distinct patches in the same pot. These 



