Even sound and strong seeds should be watered with care. Drenchings usually weaken or destroy them. The earth should be kept simply damp. To insure comparative dryness in in-door culture, some loose material, as pieces of broken pots or clinkers, should be placed in the bottom of the pot or box to afford drainage. It should be borne in mind, however, that the seed bed should be approximately equally moist throughout its depth. The waterings should therefore be copious enough to moisten the soil throughout. A wet or moist surface over a dry substratum should always be avoided. Error is common here. It is usually best to apply water with a watering-pot, as watering with a hose is apt to wash out the seeds and to pack the soil, and the quantity of water is not so easily regulated.
At first thought, it would appear that the apparently good results following soaking of seeds in many cases, are a contradiction of these statements that seeds may be over-watered. But soaking is usually beneficial only when practiced for a comparatively short time. It is not good practice to soak delicate seeds before sowing, and it is of doubtful utility in most other cases, unless it is necessary to soften the integuments of hard-shelled species, as discussed on [page 17]. The gain in rapidity of germination following soaked, as compared with dry seeds, is really fictitious, inasmuch as germination actually begins in the soaked seeds before the dry samples are sown. The soaked seeds are sown in water rather than in soil, and as conditions are more uniform there, a gain apparently due to soaking may result. In the case of strong seeds which must be planted out-doors in cold or uncongenial soil, a preliminary soaking of from 12 to 24 hours may be beneficial, as it lessens the period which the seeds would otherwise pass in untoward conditions. But soaked seeds, unless of very hardy species, should never be sown out-doors until the soil has become rather dry and warm.
To prevent too rapid drying out, the soil should be firmly pressed about the seeds. The pot or box should be given a shady place, or some covering may be applied to check evaporation. A pane of glass is often placed over the box, being tilted a little at intervals to allow of ventilation and to prevent the soil from becoming soggy or “sour.” A seed-case, with a glass cover, as shown in [Fig. 2], is neat and handy in the treatment of small seeds. A thin covering of fine moss is sometimes given, or a newspaper may be thrown over the soil.
Fig. 2. Seed-Case.
In out-door culture, only a naturally dry and well-drained soil should be chosen for all ordinary seeds, especially for such as are sown in the fall or remain in the ground a long time before germinating. Soils which contain a liberal amount of sand or gravel are especially valuable for this purpose.
To prevent drying in out-door culture, it is important that the earth be well firmed over the seeds. Walking on the row, placing one foot directly ahead of the other, is usually the most expeditious and satisfactory operation, at least with large seeds. Or the earth may be firmed with a hoe or the back of a spade, or a board may be placed upon the row and then be thoroughly settled by walking over it. In the sowing of celery and other small and slow seeds, it is a frequent practice to leave the board on the row until the seeds appear in order to hold the moisture. This is a doubtful expedient, however, for the young plants are apt to be quickly dispatched by the sun when the board is removed. If the board is employed, it should be raised an inch or two from the ground as soon as the plants begin to appear. But the shade of the board is too dense and plants do not grow stocky under it. It is better to use brush or lath screens if protection is desired; or fine litter, if free from weed seeds, may be used. In most cases, however, screens will not be needed by celery and similar seeds if the ground is in the proper condition and is well firmed at planting time. It is always advisable, nevertheless, to place the beds for slow and small seeds where they can be watered occasionally.
