THE GARDEN PRIMER 



The earth-covering should never be deeper than 

 five times, and usually not more than three times, a 

 seed's greatest diameter, when planting out-of-doors. 

 In frames or flats (shallow boxes) indoors a covering 

 about equal to the seed's own diameter is sufi&cient, 

 because in the latter situations the moisture and 

 temperature can be artificially regulated. The 

 greater depth out-of-doors is simply to insure against 

 drying out and chilling the seeds where there is no 

 means of governing these factors. 



Whether you are going to plant indoors or out, 

 water the soil where the seeds are to go thoroughly the 

 day before putting them in. This will bring it to just 

 the right degree of mellowness at the time of sowing. 



Seeds go into the ground in drills — that is, in 

 continuous rows — ^in hills or clusters, singly, and scat- 

 tered Hke grass, according to the plant which they will 

 produce. The packet in which each variety comes 

 usually has printed upon it the method to be followed 

 with the seed enclosed; so that part of it is easy, as these 

 directions may be depended upon if the seeds come from 

 a recognized first-class seedsman. It is a waste of time 

 and money to purchase from any other, by the way. 



If you have seeds to sow in drills, lay a board down 

 upon the proposed bed or wherever the seeds are to go, 

 for a ruler " ; draw a Kne along its edge with a pointed 

 stake for a ''pencil," dragging it deep into the soil or 

 lightly along its surface according to the depth of drill 

 the diameter of the seed demands; scatter the seeds into 

 this little trough and brush the earth that was pushed 



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