SEEDS AND SOWING 



out of it, back over them. Then pat it lightly down 

 with a float — a "flatiron" contrivance of wood, 6x9 

 inches or thereabouts and an inch or two thick, with a 

 small piece nailed upon its upper side for a handle. It 

 can be made of any old pieces of wood that happen to 

 be available. 



Seeds sown singly in rows should have the same 

 long drills marked for them, the seeds themselves being 

 dropped in at regular intervals instead of continuously. 

 Hills are just shallow, saucer-shaped depressions into 

 which the requisite number of seeds are dropped, sep- 

 arated so that they will not touch each other. The 

 earth is drawn over them and as the seedlings shoot 

 up, gaining in height, more earth is dra-v^m up from the 

 sides imtil the hill is formed which supports the httle 

 plants and deepens their roots. 



Scattered or broadcast sowing is Hke the sifting 

 of pepper from a shaker, and the earth over the seeds 

 is sifted on in the same Hght fashion if any at all is 

 used to cover them. Usually seeds that are scattered 

 are simply firmed into the ground by pressing with 

 the float, the idea being always to bring the grains of 

 soil close against the seed on every side, keeping it 

 evenly moist by capillary action and allowing no ir- 

 regular spaces for air to intervene and shut off this 

 moisture. Air is essential, to be sure, but not an 

 excess of it on one side and none on the other. 



The beginner is apt, however, to give an excess of 

 water rather than of air. Many a garden has been 

 drowned imder a simple faith that it is being thor- 



17 



