The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-05-21
Seed-SOwing.

SeeuSInen get a SOOU uedl Oh DldIuo 1Or
things that they are as innocent of as is
newborn babe. There are plenty of
poor seed sold, it is true, but it is only
poor in variety, not in terminating quail
tiles. A friend last year bought seed
from two parties; one sold his seed for
under one-third less than the other, but
the high-priced seed was worth more
than five times the low-priced, when
they were grown, for scarce one in five
were anything like what they ought to
be. Out of two acres of cabbages there
were nearly all kinds, but mostly the
cheap old worthless sorts; this seed was
bought at $3.50 per pound. For the
second batch SIS a pound was paid; and,
as the owner said, were cheaper even if
he had to pay more, for the seed was
true to name and nearly every plant
raised and headed well.
Cheap seed of any kind is often very
dear, and it is far better to pay for good
growing lot of poor stuff, for good
plants only take up the room that poor,
unsatisfactory things do.
Much seed is lost by careless sowing,
whether it is good or bad, and often the
scotsman is blamed for what is really
the sower's fault.
A good rule for sowing is to put seed
five times its own depth In the soil. For
example, If pea or bean be, say,
quarter of an inch in diameter, it may
be covered one inch and quarter with
soil, and so in proportion for other seed.
Small seeds, such as lobelias, musk, por-
tulaca, celery, or others are best sown
on the surface, and merely worked into
the soil with the open hand or flat
piece of wood; but however sown, the
seed should be made to feel the soil;
that is, the soil should be made firm
about the seed. If large fields or large
patches are sown a roller is an indispeh-
sible thing,to roll over the ground where
the seed has been sown. Very small
seeds are best sown in boxes about three
inches in depth, eighteen inches wide,
and about two feet long, so as to be
handy to carry around. About two
inches in depth of soil is enough to put
in the boxes to SOW upon. Let the soil
be made firm with flat piece of wood
or the open hand. Sow on the surface,
and if the seed is like musk or lobelia it
is best worked in with the hand, as a
rough piece of wood would be likely to
carry off part of the seed.
A good compost for sowing seed on
can be made by gathering few old
| droppings from cows that have lain ex-
posed to the weather for some months,
and if little leaf mold is handy, or
some spent hops from a brewery or tea
leaves, if not allowed to mold, take any
OF these with any common soil and mix
equal portions of each together to raise
seed upon. Let the droppings be broken
up as fine as possible, and all be well
mixed together. If leaf mold, hops or
tea leaves are not handy, little old saw
dust or sand will be good help whenever
the native soil is heavy.
A good way to terminate small seeds,
whether sown in boxes or open ground,
is to make frame of four pieces of
wood, then tack upon it any pieces of
cloth or old carpet, or rough gunny
| bags, and use such as a covering, letting
it remain over the seedlings until they
| get strong, occasionally raising such COW
ering morning and evening, unless the
weather is rough or cold. Many choice
plants can be raised in this way without
the aid of a hot-bed. Small seedlings or
young plants just raising from seed
should be invariably protected from cold
or drying winds, or strong sunshine.
In sowing seed for crops it is poor
economy to SOW too thin or too small a
quantity. 1t is by far the best to put in
plenty of seed and to follow the selec-
ton idea after, pulling or cutting out all
weak or poor plants, and leaving the ro-
bust to grow for what is wanted.
Many market gardeners adopt a very
good plan when sowing onion, carrot,
parship or other slow terminating seeds.
They sow thin sprinkling of radish
seed along each row, this comes up in a
few days and shows them where their
rows are, and by this means they can
begin to hoe between the rows as soon
as the weeds appear, which saves great
deal of labor and expense, the radishes
can be drawn out before they hurt other
things, and two crops are got from the
same land.
In ordinary private gardens it is pos
sible to grow two crops each year, and
enjoy more vegetables than is generally
done. Spinach, lettuce ard such gener-
ally mature in few weeks, and their
places can be occupied by other things
for the rest of the season. Early peas
could be replaced by celery or late beans,
and many things that were sown early
could be replaced by late crops.
When vegetable seeds are sown in
rows or hills in small gardens, the soil
can be pressed to the seed by walking
up the rows or pressing the soil with
the feet. This serves another good pur-
pose; if between the rows is not pressed
hard fewer weeds will come up, there
by saving much labor.
Flower seeds, many of the ANNALS,
are bad to transplant and should be
sown where they have to grow, such as
petunias and mignonette. Any others
that can be transplanted are best sown
in hot-beds, boxes and sheltered places,
if wanted for early bloom.
Heat, air and moisture are always re-
| CURED in order that seed may germin-
ate, and if any one of these are absent or
in excess, termination stops and seeds
will lay for ages without moving.
Some gardeners prefer old seeds, such
as cucumbers, melons and squash. The
only thing in this theory is, that the
plants from such seed are likely to be
weaker and produce more flowers, con-
| SeQuently more fruit hut in suoh casas