The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-13

Seeds frequently fail 10 produce plants or
to terminate even, and. in other instances
when there is a satisfactory come up.
the plants do not develop and produce
such flowers. or root crops as are expected
There are causes for this, many causes
other than the one generally attributed,
viz: Poor seed, for which the scotsman
has to carry the blame. This Is in many
instances. unjust, for 1t is not the seed
but the sower that is to blame. There are
many cases of failure among them, and
perhaps the prominent one is the careless
preparation of the soil, and the equally
careless manner in which seeds are soWE,
says Vick's magazine.
The soil should be carefully prepared
before the seeds are sown; 1t should be
worked deep, and made fine, and, when
the seed is sown. the soil should be firmly
pressed about them. Firming the soil
over the seeds has been practised by the
best hortIculturists, and for this purpose
the garden or farm roller was employed
and both TO prepare the soil in making it
fine and to press Ii firmly around the Seed
The spade has long been used for this pur-
pose The modern plan, or practice rath-
err, of using the feet in seed sowing--by
treading the soil firmly--is one of the
most effective, practical and convenient
methods, as the feet are always with the
gardener and ready for use when. required
a fact that admits of no excuse If the
work is neglected. The Influences that act
upon the seed to cause growth are heat,
air and moisture, and without a proper
tionate amount of each, there can be no
plant life.
Now. it follows that when seed is put
into the ground, and loosely covered with
dry soil, which Is often, when the soil
Is Of a clayey nature, very lumpy, 1t
does not come in contact with sufficient
moisture to soften its coating and set free
the germ. Neither is there sufficient heat,
because of the too great circulation of air
around the seed to perform the chemical
changes upon which vegetable growth de-
ponds.
When we place a seed into the soil, If
the conditions are favorable, 1t immedi-
ately commences growth in two opposite
directions, upwards into the atmosphere,
and downwards into the earth, the two
sources from which plant food are OBJ
tanned. The first root, so-called, the seeds
put forth does not furnish the young plant
with food for its development; II is simply
an underground stem which holds the
plant In place, and from IL the feeding
roots, which can scarcely be seen by the
naked eye, put forth almost as thickly as
the hairs on an animal The cotyledous
or seed leaves contain sufficient nourish-
ment for the infant plant until Its true
leaves and roots are formed. If the soil
Is not firmly pressed around the seed the
underground stem will not reach t. and
when. the feeding roots put forth they Will
have nothing to feed upon: they must
come in immediate contact with moisture
or the warm, dry air win destroy them
and the whole plant win stand stiu until
new feeding roots are formed or in the
meantime perish. Herein lies the benefi,
OF firmly pressing the soil around tbe
seed when planting.
Deep planting is a frequent cause Of
failure; in seed sowing, initiate nature
whose right hand In Planting rarely COW
ers the seed. except with leaves, ana whose
rains beat the soil around the seeds ner-
fectly. This is a very important point
and negligence therein is fertile cause
OF failure. even with experienced garden
ers. A depth Of about twice the average
diameter of the seeds themselves, is
good general principle to follow; this win