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R us tic A dornments , 
The first to be dealt with is the propagation of plants by seeds. All pots 
must be well-drained by filling at least a third of their depth with broken 
potsherds. Next to the drainage, put a thin layer of moss or rough fibre to 
prevent fine soil penetrating the former, and on the moss sufficient finely 
sifted soil, sandy in texture, to fill the pot to within half-an-inch of its rim. 
Press the soil moderately firm by the aid of the bottom of another pot. 
Where fine seeds, such as begonias and gloxinias, have to be sown, the upper 
half-inch of soil should be put through a very fine mesh sieve. Before sowing 
the seeds, water the soil gently but thoroughly in the pots by the aid of a 
fine rosed can, then, after half-an-hour’s interval, they will be ready for the 
reception of the seeds. Or, better still, grasp the pot or pan by the two hands, 
and hold it in a vessel of tepid water sufficiently deep to immerse it nearly to 
the rim. Hold it thus until the water percolates through the drainage and 
finds its way to the surface of the soil. On no account allow the water to 
run over the top of the pot, or it will wash the seeds into a heap on one side 
and do more harm than good. This is really the best way to water all pots 
or pans containing, or about to be sown with, seeds; it ensures the whole of 
the soil being equally moistened, and the non-displacement of seeds. 
In preparing boxes or pans, from one to two inches of potsherds are 
needful for draining the latter, whilst as to the former, a layer of rough 
soil siftings is ample. Fill both as advised for pots, treating them alike as 
to pressing the soil and watering. Too much care cannot be bestowed on 
the draining of the pots. If badly drained, the soil will trickle into the 
drainage and fill the cavities through which heat would otherwise pass to the 
soil. Again, if the latter is not firmly pressed, water will render it stagnant, 
sour, and wholly unfit for the germination of seeds. 
Very great care is necessary in sowing seeds. Those who have had little 
or no experience invariably fall into the common error of sowing the seeds 
too deep—-that is, covering them with too great a thickness of soil. There 
is a wide difference in the size of seeds. Some—those of the tuberous 
begonia and gloxinia for example—are exceedingly minute; hence, to cover 
these with the same thickness of soil as would be essential for Phlox 
Drummondi , would destroy them. A safe and general rule to observe in 
sowing seeds of flowers, is simply to sow those half the size of an ordinary 
pin’s head thinly on the perfectly even surface of fine soil, prepared and 
watered as indicated above. When the seed is sown, do not cover it with any 
soil whatever, but simply apply, by means of a fine-rosed can, a little tepid 
