THE AMATEUR’S KITCHEN GARDEN. 119 
young fuchsias or balsams in. Give the soil a good wetting 
from the fine rose of a watering pot, and an hour or so after- 
wards sprinkle the seed thinly and cover with a mere dusting 
of fine dry earth. Lay over the pan or pots squares of glass 
or tiles or sheets of paper, and put them in a warm place. A 
mild hotbed will answer admirably ; wanting that, a sunny 
corner of a frame or greenhouse will serve pretty well. If 
kept moist and warm, the seed will sprout very quickly, and 
as soon as the little seed-leaves begin to rise remove the 
covering from the pots, and take care that while the young 
plants have light and air and a very careful supply of mois- 
ture, they must not be roasted in the sun, nor be blown away 
by a keen east wind. If they rise rather too tall, dust some 
fine earth amongst them, and take the hint that a little more 
light and air will be good for them. They will soon be large 
enough to handle, when the important business of pricking 
out must be attended to. 
First Planting. — If you have a nearly-exhausted hotbed 
you can spare, you may refresh the top by spreading on it 
about three inches depth of quite rotten hotbed manure. On 
this dib the plants tenderly three inches apart ; keep them a 
little close and shaded for two or three days, then give light 
and air carefully, and in the course of a week ventilate more 
freely, and keep regularly watered. Your object must be to 
ensure a vigorous growth from the first without the slightest 
check, but at the same time you must keep your plants hardy 
by allowing plenty of light and air. 
In the absence of a hotbed, a small frame or a few hand- 
lights will be found of great service. First spread on hard 
ground in a sunny spot four inches depth of rotten manure. 
Over this put the frame or hand-light, and shut close. A few 
hours’ sun will make the bed quite warm. In the after part 
of the day, plant on this warm bed, water well with tepid 
water, and shut up close. Next morning screen off the sun 
with a mat, or two or three thicknesses of newspaper. About 
three days’ nursing will give the plants a good start, after 
which give light and air, and regular supplies of water. Aa 
soon as they begin to grow vigorously, remove all the shelter, 
that they may become quite hardy for planting out. 
Final Planting. — The next business is to prepare the 
trenches. There must be no stint of manure in this business. 
Take out the soil to a depth of twelve inches, and throw in a 
