:3 
LaJcevieiv Seed Farm, Rochester^ N. Y. 
Another important thing to be attended to is "firming" the 
soil over the seeds after sowing, if the soil is dry and warm. 
After sowing the seed, go over the rows, and with the ball of the 
foot press down every inch of soil in the drill where the seed 
has been sown. Then with a rake light]y level off the rows and 
the operation is done. But this rule of firming the soil must not 
be followed unless the ground is dry and warm. When the soil 
is damp, and there is no danger of dry or heated air drying out 
the seed, there is no necessity of treading it in. In such cases it 
is better not to do it. If a drought should follow after sowing 
the seed, and there is danger of the seed suffering from the dry, 
hot air, the firming may be done a week or more after the seed 
has been sown. 
When carrots and parsnips are sown after the ground has 
become dry, the ground should always be rolled after sowing, 
otherwise there will be danger of the heated air penetrating the 
loose, dry soil and destroying the vitality of the seed. When this 
cannot be done after sowing, it is a good plan to roll with a field 
roller before sowing. On my muck land I roll both before and 
after sowing. 
Time of Sowing Seeds.— The following seeds may be safely 
sown, early in the spring: Asparagus, Beet, Broccoli, Cabbage, 
Cauliflower, Celery, the hardy, early Sweet Corn, Cress, Lettuce, 
Onion, Parsnip, Peas, Radish, also Carrots, Spinach and Turnip 
for the early market. 
The following should not be sown or planted until the ground 
has become dry and warm, and danger of frost is past : Beans, 
Cucumber, Carrot for a winter crop, the soft, late Sweet Corn, 
Melons, Peppers, Squash, Tomato, and Turnip for a late crop. 
Lima Beans and Winter Squashes are especially liable to rot if 
planted before the ground has become dry and warm. Tomatoes, 
Peppers and Egg Plant should be started early in a hot-bed or in 
a box in the house. 
MANURE. 
It is a waste of time and money to attempt to grow crops, 
either in the garden or on the farm, without manure and plenty 
of it. Every year I am more and more convinced that we do not 
use enough. If we would cultivate less acres and use more ma- 
nure, we would have a larger surplus over expenses. A poor 
crop only pays expenses, and oftentimes not that. It is only 
good crops that pay a profit. 
As to the kind of manure, use all the stable or barn-yard 
manure you can make or get. Nothing is better or as good. 
Then use all the commercial fertilizers you can afford to buy, and 
you can afford more than you suppose. It is money well in- 
vested that will pay 100 per cent, in six months, and the money 
paid out for manure and fertilizers frequently pays more than 
that. If you doubt it, try it. 
Next in importance to plenty of manure, is frequent stir- 
RiNG OF the soil. So essential is the latter that some gardeners 
insist that frequent stirring the soil will produce larger crops 
without manure, than poor cultivation with manure. While I 
am satisfied that nothing can take the place of manure, I am 
equally well satisfied that a soil frequently stirred will produce 
much better crops than the same soil that is only seldom culti- 
vated. For some crops it is absolutely essential. I know a large 
and successful grower of cabbages who keeps his cultivator 
running through his crop two or three times a week, so long as 
he can get between the rows. 
