The Fir. 



well (which generally is about the middle of March), you 

 prepare the ground in the manner directed for receiving 

 the seeds of the Ash, for which see paragraphs 109 and the 

 following; with this material difference, however: that, in 

 case of fir-beds, the alleys, for a reason by and by to be 

 mentioned, ought to be two feet wide at the least. The 

 ground, when the beds are formed, ought to be made very 

 fine ; and if the earth were sifted on, it would be the better, 

 because these seeds are very tender, and do not come up 

 well in rough ground. When the beds are prepared, you 

 sow the seeds on them pretty thickly. If the weather be 

 very windy, it is convenient to mix the seeds with sand that 

 is rather damp 3 and, indeed, it were not amiss if this were 

 done in all sorts of weather, especially in the case of the 

 smaller seeds, which are very apt to fall out of the hand in 

 great quantities in particular places. 



248. The seed being sowed, pat it gently down with the 

 back of the spade, and then cover it with sifted mould taken 

 out of the alleys. This mould should not be more than an 

 inch in depth, and should be put on with great evenness. 



249. If the weather be dry, water the beds with a fine 

 rosed watering-pot, but by no means do this until the 

 ground be -perfectly dry ; for, if you water while the earth 

 is fresh from its recent removal, it nms together and 

 becomes baked by the sun, which is very injurious to the 

 coming up of the plants, which would begin to appear in 

 about six weeks ; and then all your pains are thrown away, 

 unless you keep off the JArds, which are mortal enemies of 

 everything bearing the name of Fir-seeds. Your precautions 

 on this score must not wait till you can see the seeds break- 

 ing the ground. The finches will make the discovery long 

 before you will. They smell the seeds under the ground. 



