THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



187 



emitted, the drying of winds is prevented, 

 the hot solar rays are much softened, and 

 insects excluded. This treatment will 

 ensure success with many delicate seeds 

 where ordinary modes would fail. 



The watering of common soils, by rain 

 or by artificial means, soon forms a thin 

 crust on the surface, unless such soils are 

 of the lightest character, and delicate 

 young plants cannot push through it. — 

 The difficulty is obviated by the substi- 

 tution of peat or fine mould, sifted over 

 the surface when the seeds are sown. 



Dr. Lindley says, "When the acorn 

 falls, it has no power of wriggling into a 

 hole in the ground, and when the chick- 

 weed scatters its tiny seeds, they lie and 

 grow where they fall." This eminent 

 horticulturist describes a method which 

 can hardly fail with any seeds of tempe- 

 rate climates, which retain vitality. First, 

 provide a good soil, fine and dry ; smooth 

 the surface; sift over it a coat of fine 

 mould or peat if the seeds are very small ; 

 or mix them with the same material be- 

 fore sowing, if excessively minute. Then 

 press the whole surface gently and evenly. 

 Next sprinkle over the surface some coarse 

 inoss, previously soaked in boiling water 

 to kill insects or eggs, and with the super- 

 abundant water pressed out. Cover the 

 whole with a common garden pot, and 

 lay a tile on the hole. The seeds are 

 then planted — the moss answering the 

 purpose of the scattered forest leaves in 

 nature, and the pot supplying the shade. 



Then, judging from a daily inspection 

 by looking under the pot and moss coat- 

 ing, — open the hole in the pot when the 

 seeds begin to grow ; the next day, per- 

 haps, remove a part of the moss ; the 

 next, raise the pot by a stone under its 

 edge ; then gradually raise the pot higher, 

 remove the rest of the moss, and finally 

 take the pot away. 



One caution should be added for those 

 who plant large seeds encased in a dry 

 shell, as for instance, the horse-chestnut. 

 In the, wild state they drop as soon as 

 ripe into moist mould where they remain 

 till germination commences. If packed 

 up and kept dry a few weeks, they will 

 scarcely ever grow. No difficulty of this 



kind will, however, occur if they are 

 packed in moderately moist muck from 

 the woods as soon as mature. 



T. 



THE CROPS. 



In a country of such immense extent of 

 territory, and such a variety of climate, a very 

 poor judgment of the average of its. whole 

 crop can be formed from any part, and very 

 different accounts are now received from dif- 

 ferent parts of it. In the beginning of this 

 season, the prospects were gloomy in every 

 portion of the United States. But during the 

 last month or six weeks the weather has been 

 quite favorable, and in most of the States 

 there will be an average crop of wheat, and 

 in all probability, a large crop of corn this 

 year. More of this last crop has been planted 

 than has ever been known before, and the 

 season, upon the whole, has been favorable for 

 it. The recent rains improved the wheat very 

 much, but still in some of the Atlantic States 

 great and irretrievable mischief was done by 

 the drought. Especially in Maryland, where 

 in some sections the wheat was ploughed up 

 to make room for corn. But throughout the 

 New England States the prospects are very 

 favorable for wheat as well as com, and many 

 of their papers predict an extraordinary crop. 



The Boston papers say, 



" The late plenteous rains have started 

 vegetation forward wonderfully, and our 

 markets will soon be filled with a cheap 

 substitute, in part, for the present costly 

 breadstuffs, &c. The fruit crop is also 

 unusually promising, and if no untoward 

 event occurs, the quantity to be gathered, 

 from present appearances, will double that 

 of several previous years. 



"The Ploughman says, grass now looks 

 well, and we have a prospect of a good 

 harvest of hay. Corn will be great if 

 we have a hot summer." 



The Cultivator says, 



" The spring was cold and backward, 

 as much so as any season for many years. 

 Some kinds of fruit trees blossomed nearly 



