In concluding the section of this book devoted to vegetable growing, we will give a few general instructions that may have been omitted in the details already given. In sowing all kinds of seeds, more particularly those of small size, be careful, if the soil is dry, to "firm" or press down the surface of the bed or row after sowing, with a light roller or back of a spade, more especially if the weather is beginning to get warm. Crops are often lost through the failure of the seeds to germinate, for the simple reason that the soil is left loose about the tiny seeds, and the dry atmosphere penetrates to them, shriveling them up until all vitality is destroyed. Again for the same reason, when setting out plants of any kind, be certain that the soil is pressed close to the root. In our large plantings in market gardening, particularly in sum-mer, we make it a rule in dry weather to turn back on the row after planting it with the dibber or trowel, and press the earth firmly to each plant with the foot; we have seen whole acres of celery and cabbage plants lost, solely through neglect of this precaution. Never work the soil while it is so wet as to clog, better wait a week for it to dry than to stir it if wet. In no work in which men are engaged is the adage, "A stitch in time saves nine," more applicable than to the work of the farm or garden. The instant that weeds appear, attack them with the hoe or rake; do not wait for them to get a foot high, or a twelfth part of it, but break every inch of the surface crust of the ground just so soon as a germ of weed growth shows itself. And it will be better to do it even before any weeds show, for by using a small sharp steel rake, two or three days after your crop is planted or sown, you will kill the weeds just as their seeds are germinating. The newly developed germ of the strongest weed is at that time very tender. In my market garden operations I had one man whoso almost exclusive duty it was to work in summer with the steel rake, and in a few days after a crop was planted, the surface was raked over, destroying the thousands of weeds just ready to appear. Had we waited for the weeds to be seen, so that they were too large to be destroyed by the raking, four men could not have done with the hoe the work accomplished by this man with the rake.