962 Rural School i^eaflet. 



VII 



Thinning and Transplanting 



C. E. HUNN 



To have a good garden each plant should have room for its fullest 

 development, and since most of the seeds of garden flowers and vegeta- 

 bles are small it is almost impossible to sow the seeds sparsely enough 

 so that each plant will grow to perfection. Since this is the case, 

 the plants must be " thinned," and either thrown away or trans- 

 planted to some other part of the garden. If the thinning is done in 

 cool, cloudy weather, the seedlings may be transplanted with great ease, 

 but if done in dry, sunny weather, the seedlings must be shaded after 

 being set out. It is best to thin the plants when they are small, before 

 they have become crowded, but if one wishes to save them for trans- 

 planting they may be left until large enough to handle. The fol- 

 lowing statement will be found helpful to young gardeners in thinning 

 and transplanting: 



I. Flowering plants that should be four inches apart: Alyssum, 

 ageratum, balsam, candytuft, lobelia, pansy, poppy, portulaca. 



II. Flowering plants that should be six to eight inches apart: 

 Amaranthus, browallia, carnation, centurea, dianthus, eschscholtzia, 

 gaillardia, mignonette, myosotis, phlox D. 



III. Flowering plants that should be twelve inches apart: Aquilegia, 

 aster, campanula, calliopsis, colosia, helichrysum, heliotrope, larkspur, 

 marigold, nasturtium, " drop," nigella, petunia, salpiglossis, scabiosa, 

 verbena, zinnia, sweet william. 



IV. Flowering plants that should be eighteen to twenty- four inches 

 apart: Canna, chrysanthemum (annual), cosmos, dahlia, delphinium, 

 digitalis, gypsophila, nicotiana, phlox (hardy), salvia, rudbeckia, schi- 

 zanthus, tritoma. 



V. Vegetables that should be six inches apart: Beet, celery, lettuce, 

 parsnip, parsley, spinach, salsify, turnip. 



VI. Vegetables that should be twelve inches apart: Bean, cabbage, 

 cauliflower, egg plant, endive, kohl-rabi, pepper. 



VII. Vegetables that may be sown thickly: Carrot, leek, onion, 

 pea, radish. 



VIII. Vegetables that should be three to four feet apart each way: 

 Bean (pole), corn, cucumber, kale, melon, squash. 



