Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-05-08
Sowing Garden Seeds.

Some seedSmen, whose cOnsciences are
shorter than their purses, have habit of
selling any kind of seeds rather than lose.
Some seeds will grow nearly as we'll when
a year old as when fresh gathered, but
many will not; but if the seedsmen
have stock left on hand it is a tempta-
ton to mix them with new ones and sell
them for fresh. There is no reason why
they should do this from any point of
justice to themselves. When scotsman
fixes the price at which he can afford to
sell the seeds, the probability that some
may be left on hand unsold is taken into
consideration, and in every ten-cent paper
sold there has been, no doubt, at least one
cent estimated and included for probable
loss on unsold stock 1t is, therefore, ONLY
an inOrdinate desire for extra gan-mere
greed-which induces a merchant to put
old seeds with new; and few first-class
houses who esteem their reputation ever
do it, as their regular fair profit, calcula-
ted on the basis above given, is sufficient
to put out of temptation dishonest prac-
tees
If seed be bad, no amount of care in
sowing will make them grow; but. on the
other hand, there is no room for doubt
that a very large quantity of seed which
does not grow, and which is charged as
bad against the scotsman selling the seed,
is really the result Of the sewers ignorance
of the proper way to SOW them
The commOneSt error is to SOW too deem.
Seeds want moisture before they will
grow, but they do not like to stay in
water. They need air and mOisture-not
moisture or water alone When, there
fore, water lies long about a sprouting
seed and the air is prevented from oper-
ating at the same time, the young plantlet
is tolerably sure to rot away Now the
danger from water is just in proportion to
the depth the seed is below the surface.
Very soon after a rain the surface dries.
Beneath the surface it is longer in getting
away; the nearer the surface therefore, a
seed can be sown, so that it can be kept
regularly moist, the safer the seed is to
grow. OF course the texture of the soil has
much to do with modifying depth In a
light, sandy soil water will pass readily
away, and the necessary air will follow
more readily than it will in a stiff soil; the
seed, therefore, that would be in great dan
ger in quarter of an inch of depth in a
heavy soil, would come through an inch
of sand: and it is this which renders it
impossible to give any rule as to the
proper depth to SOW the various kinds of
seeds, and the necessity of a philosophical
chapter like this which attempts to show
the principle of successful culture rather
than regular rule for people to follow.
Ii we could have regular moisture
right at the surface of the ground, and
keep secure against any sudden drying, it
would be best to sow entirely on the sur
face; but as we cannot, results the neces-
sity Of covering little with earth-but if
attention be paid to a proper powdering
or pulveriZing Of the soil, we might get
the seed much nearer the surface than is
generally thought possible. To know our
meaning from experience, which, after all
is the best teacher, let piece of ground
newly dug or plowed stay for day or two
in its rough condition, until the coarse,
cloddy pieces are a little dry. Then walk
across the ground. If next day the foot
prints be examined the crushed soil will
be found of the dark brown color which
dampness gives to soil, while the other
portions of the land are nearly dried out.
4 seed trod in under foot at the time of
making these footprints would be nearly
sure to grow, while any scattered in the
coarse soil would run the risk of either
being dried out or drowned out by getting
too deep under the soil Indeed we know
of one man, who has the best success in
raising garden vegetables of any man we
know, who always sows his seeds by tread
ing them in. He takes care to get good seeds
from reputable source, and then sows on
the surface. The ground is first forked
up, and lies day or two to dry. OF
course it is made tobsrably Level, but no
special attempt is made to have the sur
face particularly fine When ready to SOW,