The reason? Oh, yes, the reason is that the soil will be too light and airy unless firmed.
The little seed rootlets need close-packed light earth, with no lumps. Just imagine how tiny they are, and how near to them must be the tiny grains of sand for them to take hold on.
To Mark the Beds
After the seeds are planted, drive down at the ends of the first and last rows little stakes, marked with the names of the kind of seed planted in the section.
“Perhaps you think you will remember what kinds of seed you’ve planted; but one is never certain. Once I thought I had planted carrots and when the plants grew, I had beets. It is not safe to try to remember.
“So much, then, for how to put seed babies into their beds.
“By and by, they are going to wake up, and we must understand how to take care of them. The best way to learn how to take care of them is to find out what they are, and what they need.”