they art apt to rot. When sown too shallow, in a dry time, there may not be sufficient moisture to sprout them, or they may be destroyed by dry and hot weather after they have germinated, or insects may destroy the plants as soon as they appear out of the ground. The first effect of air, heat and moisture is to change the starchy matter of the seed into a sugary pulp, the proper food of the embryo. If at this time the seed be withered by exposure to heat without sufficient covering, it will perish ; or if planted in a fresh dug soil, and the above change in the nature of the seed takes place, but the earth is not pressed upon it, the seed dries up and the em- bryo perishes. Others, again, are buried too deeply, and though the seed swells, yet sufficient warmth and air are not ob- tained to give it life. — The first thing in sowing is a suitable preparation of the soil, so that the young roots may easily penetrate it. It must be made more or less fine for different seeds. Depth to Sow. — The size of a seed is a nearly safe guide as to the depth at which it should be sown — Beans of all kinds at two inches ; Peas an inch and a half ; Carrots, Parsnips, Turnips, Onions, Radishes, Lettuce, Cabbage, and such seeds, require to be sown shallow, almost close to the sur- face. Seed must be firmly fixed in the soil and pressed by the earth on every part in order to retain moisture sufficient to encourage vegetation ; yet not so firmly buried as to be deprived of air, or to have their ascending shoots impeded by too much soil above. The earth should be pressed upon them with a roller, or by treading with the feet in the case of large seeds, or by smoothing the surface with the back of the spade, or by walking over them on a board for the smaller kinds. In all cases seeds should be sown in fresh-dug soil, that they may have the benefit of the mois- ture within ; but they should never be put in when the soil is really wet, as the ground will bake and the seeds perish. Never sow broadcast if it is desirable to save time expense and trouble. When sown in drills or rows weeds can be more easily destroyed and the ground kept open and loose. Transplanting should be done just at evening, or immediately before or after a shower. Make the holes with the dibble, hold the plant in one hand and with the other bear the point of the dibble into the ground by the side of it, and press the earth closely to the bottom of the root. Give each plant a good watering, and shade in sunny weather. Watering. — The best time to water plants is at sunrise, or just at evening ; rain water is the best if it can be had. Water may be given to the roots at any time, but should never be sprinkled over the leaves in a hot sun. One copious watering is better than a little often, and the hoe should follow the watering pot whenever the ground becomes dry. Thinning. — All plants, when crowded together, run up tall and scraggy. As soon as plants are well above the ground they should be thin- ned out. Hoeing and Weeding. —The surface of the soil cannot be too fre- quently stirred. No weed should ever be allowed to seed — “ One year’s seed, seven years’ weed,” says the proverb. Constant hoeing is indispensable, to prevent the soil being exhausted of its nourishment by the rapid growth ot weeds.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

they are apt to rot. When sown too shallow, in a dry time, there may not be sufficient moisture to sprout them, or they may be destroyed by dry and hot weather after they have germinated, or insects may destroy the plants as soon as they appear out of the ground. The first effect of air, heat and moisture is to change the starchy matter of the seed into a sugary pulp, the proper food of the embryo. If at this time the seed be withered by exposure to heat without sufficient covering, it will perish ; or if planted in a fresh dug soil, and the above change in the nature of the seed takes place, but the earth is not pressed upon it, the seed dries up and the embryo perishes. Others, again, are buried too deeply, and though the seed swells, yet sufficient warmth and air are not obtained to give it life. — The first thing in sowing is a suitable preparation of the soil, so that the young roots may easily penetrate it. It must be made more or less fine for different seeds. Depth to Sow. — The size of a seed is a nearly safe guide as to the depth at which it should be sown — Beans of all kinds at two inches ; Peas an inch and a half ; Carrots, Parsnips, Turnips, Onions, Radishes, Lettuce, Cabbage, and such seeds, require to be sown shallow, almost close to the surface. Seed must be firmly fixed in the soil and pressed by the earth on every part in order to retain moisture sufficient to encourage vegetation ; yet not so firmly buried as to be deprived of air, or to have their ascending shoots impeded by too much soil above. The earth should be pressed upon them with a roller, or by treading with the feet in the case of large seeds, or by smoothing the surface with the back of the spade, or by walking over them on a board for the smaller kinds. In all cases seeds should be sown in fresh-dug soil, that they may have the benefit of the moisture within ; but they should never be put in when the soil is really wet, as the ground will bake and the seeds perish. Never sow broadcast if it is desirable to save time expense and trouble. When sown in drills or rows weeds can be more easily destroyed and the ground kept open and loose. Transplanting should be done just at evening, or immediately before or after a shower. Make the holes with the dibble, hold the plant in one hand and with the other bear the point of the dibble into the ground by the side of it, and press the earth closely to the bottom of the root. Give each plant a good watering, and shade in sunny weather. Watering. — The best time to water plants is at sunrise, or just at evening ; rain water is the best if it can be had. Water may be given to the roots at any time, but should never be sprinkled over the leaves in a hot sun. One copious watering is better than a little often, and the hoe should follow the watering pot whenever the ground becomes dry. Thinning. — All plants, when crowded together, run up tall and scraggy. As soon as plants are well above the ground they should be thinned out. Hoeing and Weeding. —The surface of the soil cannot be too frequently stirred. No weed should ever be allowed to seed — “ One year’s seed, seven years’ weed,” says the proverb. Constant hoeing is indispensable, to prevent the soil being exhausted of its nourishment by the rapid growth ot weeds.

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