5 WIND W GAUD ENINO 
too dry. All seeds sown in pots are more difficult to manage than those raised 
in a hot bed or in the border on account of the danger of drj'ing up. The ancient 
maxim again comes up, " that if a thing is worth doing at all, it is worth doing 
well." So in plant culture it is just as easy to do it right as wrong. The soil 
sliould be light and sandy; clear sand, such as the masons use for making plaster, 
is just the thing with which to cover the seeds, and to mix with the loam. The 
soil should not be all of sand, because it will dry too quickly. Nor must it be 
of clayey loam, because it will keep too wet, and will not let the air circulate 
fi-eely enough to make the seeds vegetate. But a good loam mixed with sand 
will answer our purpose exactly. 
Fill the pots with it and leave quarter of an inch of clear, sand at the top, for 
the minute seeds, and half an hich for those of larger size. Abutilons, Pelargo- 
niums, Coboea, etc. Set the pots in water up to the rims to ler. the soil become 
thoroughly wetted, then place them to drain for half an hour or more. Plant the 
seeds on the surface, sprinkling over them and pressing lightly upon them &and 
proportionate to their needs. * 
The sand must not be allowed to dry at all, and we find that nearly all kinds 
of seeds will germinate more quickly in it than in loam, though a mixture of 
both may be desirable in some cases when the care is not constant. Shallow 
cigar boxes are preferable to pots; they will hold much more, can be handled as 
easily, and make the best seed pans that we know of. 
The soil for planting seeds should be as fine as possible. It is a good plan to 
bake it in an old pan in the oven, then sift it through a good sized sieve, which 
can be made out of an old milk pan, by boring holes through the bottom of it. 
Soil thus prepared is far better than if taken directly from the garden, yet in all 
cases it is better to buy it of the florists, then you know it is just right. 
When the second tier of leaves show themselves, it is time to transplant the 
seedlings, into the pots or boxes in which you intend them to grow and bloom. 
There is some art in watering seedlings as well as plants, as there is great dan- 
ger of the tiny sprouts becoming water clogged or " damped off." 
It is often better to water little pots by placing them in shallow pans of wa- 
ter, and letting them suck up moisture for a few minutes. Boxes can be mois- 
tened by pouring the water against the sides of them, holding the spout close to 
them, and letting only a small stream fall from the nozzle, thus gently wetting 
the whole surface. 
The pane of glass that is to be kept over the young plants, can be edged upon 
one side to give more air, and prevent their growmg spindling, and wire 
drawn. 
Bell glasses are much better however, and are largely used in England and in 
France where they are called cloches. They are conical, rising to a sharp point 
in the middle, and are of cheap construction. Seedlings raised under them flour- 
ish finely, and there is little need for watering tiny plants ; for when the edge of 
the glass is within the rim of the pot, the moisture becomes condensed upon 
the sides of the glass, and moistens the soil by trickling down upon it. 
