ROCK GARDENS

Rock, Marsh, Shrubs in the Garden
Plants 6

Never sow in a cold, wet soil. Wait until the ground has dried sufficiently and until the weather really bids fair to be mild. It is false economy to sow before one feels sure of the weather, just on the off-chance of getting early plants. Dry weather should, therefore, be chosen for sowing, and if seed can be sown just before a gentle shower, or when the weather is likely to be showery, so much the better. Of course, there is a proper time for the sowing of every kind of seed (see Chapter 12), but, naturally, this cannot be specified in a series of general instructions, which must, necessarily, apply equally to all. The smaller the seed, the finer should be the soil in which it is sown. The soil in which the seed is sown should be tolerably dry dry enough to crumble lightly when worked with the hand. It must not clot together in a pasty mass. Place or position that is to say, whether in the open air or under protection also forms an important factor with regard to the time of sowing. Preparing the Seed-bed.-The seed-bed should be situated in partial shade and should be sheltered from the north and east. The soil must be made as fine as possible, first by breaking up the lumps with a fork and then by raking it thoroughly until the earth is well pulverized. It should contain from ten to twenty per cent. of sand this will make it porous and will enable the air to penetrate freely through it. If the soil is not made fine in this way, many of the seeds will fall down in between the clods and will not germinate; those that do come up may have their tiny roots parched up, as there will be no fine soil through which they can work and so obtain nourishment and moisture. Too rich a soil must not be used, for the seedlings would become tall and straggly, instead of being short and sturdy, which is the ideal at which to aim. The bed must be pressed down firmly and should be left to settle for ten days before seeding. Water the bed thoroughly, if dry, and in March or April, or in late summer, sow the seed thinly in drills running north and south, if possible, and about six inches apart Sowing in drills is much better than the "broad-cast" method, in which the seed is scattered over the entire surface of the seed-bed, for it makes weeding more easy; this is especially so in the case of plants like the Juniper, Rhododendrons, Conifers, etc., where they have to stay in the bed for more than one year. It also saves seed and makes the operation of sowing more easily.

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