D. M. FERRY & GO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 5 



two feet wide across one side, and a second one adjoining and parallel with it one spade deep. The remaining earth of the sec- 

 ond trench is then thrown into the first and covered with the surface soil from a third trench ; the balance of the third is then 

 thrown into the second and covered with the surface of the fourth; and so on until all is worked over, when the soil from the 

 first trench is vised to fill the last. This is quite expensive, but frequently changes a soil upon which nothing can be grown, 

 into one producing the finest vegetables, and its effects last for several years. 



SOWING THE SEED.— There is no more prolific source of disappointment and failiire among amateur gardeners than 

 hasty, careless or improper sowing of the seed. A seed consists of a minute plant minus the roots, with a sufacient amount of 





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food stowed in or around it to sustain it until it can expand its leaves, form roots and provide for itself, the whole enclosed in 

 a hard and more or less impervious shell. To secure germination, moisture, heat, and a certain amount of air are neces- 

 sary. The first steps are the softening of the hard, outer shell, the developing of the leaves of the plant from the absorption 

 of water, and the changing of the plant food from the form of starch to that of sugar. In the first condition tlie food was 

 easily preserved unchanged, but the plant with its undeveloped leaves and no root was incapable of using it. while in its 

 sugary condition it is easily appropriated, but if not used it speedily decaj-s itself and induces decay in the plant. A seed then 

 may retain its vitality and remain unchanged for years, while after germination has commenced, a check of a day or two in 

 the process may be fatal. There is no time from that when the seed falls from the parent plant until it in turn produces 

 seed, when the plant is so susceptible of fatal injury from the overabundance or from the sufficient want of heat and moist- 

 ure, as between germination and the formation of the first true leaves, and it is ]ust then that it needs the aid of a gardener 

 to secure favorable conditions. These are: — 



First.— A proper and constant degree of moisture with- 

 out being soaked with water. This is secured by making 

 the surface of freshly dug soil so fipe and the pressing of the 

 soil over the seeds so firmly with the feet or the back of the 

 hoe, that the degree of moisture remains as nearly uniform 

 as possible. 



Second.— A proper degree of heat, secured by sowing the 

 seed when the temperature of the soil is that most favorable 

 to germination. Too high a temperature is as detrimental to 

 some kinds as one too low is to others. The proper tempera- 

 ture for each sort maj^ be learned from a careful study of 

 the following pages and the experience of the most success- 

 ful gardeners in your vicinity. 



Third.— Covering the seed to such a depth that while a 

 imiform degree of heat and moisture is preserved the neces- 

 sary air can readily reach the germinating seed, and the tiny 

 stem push the forming leaves into the light and air. This 

 depth will vary with different seeds and conditions of the soil, 

 and can be learned only from practical experience. In 

 general, seeds of the size of the turnip should be covered with 

 half an inch of earth pressed down, while corn maj- be an inch, 

 beans an inch to two inches and peas two to six inches deep. 



Fourth.— Such condition of soil that the ascending stem 

 can easily penetrate it. and the young roots speedily find 

 suitable food. We can usually secure this by thorough pre- 

 paration of the ground, and taking care never to sotv fine 

 seeds when the ground is wet. Occasionally a heavy or long 



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