54 HARDY PERENNIALS 
Seeds may be either sprinkled broadcast over a 
space of ground or sown in regular rows, but in 
either case thick sowing should be avoided. An 
advantage of sowing in rows is that the soil in the 
spaces between the rows may be loosened with a 
small Dutch hoe, thus destroying weeds and admit- 
ting air to the soil which is essential to healthy 
root action. The commonest mistake of all is to 
bury seeds too deeply in the soil. 
Seeds that are of measurable diameter should 
not have much greater depth of soil over them 
than that diameter, and quite small seeds need no 
more than a sprinkling of fine soil to hide them 
from absolute exposure. 
Minute seeds, and those of particularly choice 
varieties, are best sown in pots, pans, or boxes, 
or they may be sown in a prepared bed under a 
frame or hand-light. 
It seems to be quite the general practice to press 
the soil down smooth and even after the seeds are 
covered, but there can be little justification for 
that operation which must tend to exclude air, 
and very frequently causes the surface to form a 
crust through which the seedlings break with 
difficulty. The soil under the seeds should be 
pressed moderately firm, but all that is necessary 
for the covering soil is to water it with a fine-rosed 
can, which will settle the surface quite as closely 
as is good for the seeds. 
During ordinary seasons there will be enough 
