Before sowing the seeds study their soil re¬ 
quirements as to composition and texture. Soak 
the pots in a pail of water over night, wash 
thoroughly, and allow to dry superficially. Cover 
hole with a piece of broken pot or a pebble. On 
this put an inch of fine gravel and then a thin 
layer of sifted peat moss or sifted sphagnum 
moss, just enough to prevent the soil from wash¬ 
ing through the gravel. Next put in the finely 
sifted soil mixture firm lightly and allow about 
one-half inch of space at the top. Upon this 
scatter the seeds thinly, being sure to have some 
space between every seed and its neighbor. Very 
fine seed need only be lightly pressed into the 
surface with some flat object while larger ones 
should be covered to a depth of their own di¬ 
ameter. The pots are now put into a pail or 
large pan and the latter filled with water to 
height just a little below the level of the soil in 
the pots. Soon water will be absorbed and when 
the surface seems to have become wet remove 
the pots and allow to drain for half an hour or 
so in a sheltered place. Now sink them into the 
soil in the frame. This can be facilitated by first 
sinking empty pots of the same size into the 
soil, removing these carefully by a twisting mo¬ 
tion and then dropping the planted pot into the 
hole. Never water with a watering can, except 
after the seedlings are of good size. With the 
same twisting motion remove the pots from the 
frame put into pail of water as directed above 
and then replace in frame. This form of water¬ 
ing also helps to prevent damping off. From 
now r on it will be necessary to watch closely that 
the pots are always moist but never wet. Raise 
the back of the sash a little for ventilation but 
never enough to let the pots dry out. Regulate 
the amount of light by means of your lath screen, 
allow enough to prevent mould and fungous 
growth but not so much as to burn up the deli¬ 
cate seedlings. 
• '.i; 
r.' •n.yi 
4 
