D. M. FERRY & CO’S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 5 
If necessary, the turning ground at both ends may be filled with Winter Squashes, as these are planted so late and at such 
a distance apart that they would not seriously hinder the turning of a steady horse with a careful driver. Whatever the 
arrangement followed may be, we earnestly urge that every effort be made to secure straight and perfect rows. There is, 
perhaps, no one thing that will make the subsequent cultivation easier, or contribute more to the owner's satisfaction in his 
garden than this, and a little extra effort in this respect at the first will give pleasure all through the season. 
EAST. 
tal Eee o shen bck Deo ta ear alel es! & Ss Sea eE 0S ate ae lae aie aha,e al ay g 
Asparagus. ~ Rhubarb. Artichoke. = 
EE ee et MAS! on texted s 
Parsnip. Salsify. Cucumbers, followed by Fall Spinage. 5 
é 
Peas. ay 
€ 
Early Potatoes or Peas, followed by Celery. = 
Early Cabbage and Cauliflower. oo 
: s 
Beets. Tufnips. a 
Lettuce, early and late. Winter Radish. Endive. Parsley. no 
Onions, with early Radish, sown in row. no 
Bush ‘Beans. n= 
Late Cabbage. ~ 
a 
Early Corn and Summer Squash. ~ 
Late Corn. ~ 
| Tomatoes and Pole Beans. + 
os 
S 
Musk and Water Melon. Se 
3 
© 
er 
oo) 
Winter Squash. 
WEST. 
SOWING THE SEED.—There is no more prolific source of disappointment and failure among amateur gardeners 
than hasty, careless or improper sowing of the seed. The seed consists of a minute plant minus the roots; with a sufficient 
amount of food stored 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 
necessary. The first steps are the softening of the hard, outer shell, the developing of the leaves of the plant by the 
absorption of water, and the changing of the plant food from the form of starch to that of sugar. In the first condition the 
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 decays 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, ripens and dies, when the plant is so susceptible of fatal injury from the overabundance or want of heat and 
moisture, as at that between the commencement of germination and the formation of the first true leaves, and it is just then 
that it needs the aid of a gardener to secure favorable conditions: These are:— 
First.—A proper and constant degree of moisture without being soaked with water. This is secured by making the 
surface of freshly dug soil so fine that the smallest seeds may come in immediate contact on all sides with the particles from 
which they are to absorb the required moisture 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 may remain as nearly as possible the same until the plants are up. 
Second.— A proper degree of heat, secured by sowing each variety of seed when the average temperature of the locality 
is that most favorable for its germination. This may be learned from a careful study of the following pages and the experi. 
ence of the most successful gardeners of your vicinity. 
Third.—Covering the seed to such a depth that while it is preserved at a uniform degree of heat and moisture, the neces- 
sary air can readily reach it, 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 may be an inch, Beans two or three 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. Wecan usually secure this by thorough preparation of the ground. and taking care never to sow fine seeds when the 
ground is wet. Occasionally a heavy or long continued rain followed by a bright sun will so bake and crust the surface that 
it is impossible for the young plant to find its way through it, or a few days of strong wind willso dry the surface that no seed 
can germinate. In such cases the only remedy is to plant again. 
CULTIV ATION.—Every weed should be removed as soon as it appears, especially while the plants are young: this will 
require almost daily attention, but if well done early in the season, the later work will be light. Mere destruction of weeds is 
by no means the only object of cultivation. A. J. Downing, who was perhaps the best horticulturist America has known. 
said: ‘‘If I were to preach a sermon on horticulture, I should take as my text, ‘StrR THE Sort.’ and certainly the text 
would contain much of the gospel of successful gardening; frequent stirring will enable one to grow fine vegetables on com- 
paratively poor and slightly manured soil, while without it one fails to gain much advantage from the richest and finest soil. 
Let the cultivation be done judiciously, however. Young plants may be cultivated quite deeply without injury. but as the 
season advances and the ground becomes filled with roots, cultivation should be more and more shallow until the soil is not 
stirred more than one to two inches deep. The root pruning, caused by deep cultivation of growing crops, is a prolific source 
of loss. Care should also be taken that the cultivation is not done when the soil is wet. With these exceptions cultivate as 
often and as thoroughly as possible. 
