ioo4 Rural School Leaflet 



CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 



Albert E. Wilkinson 



Preparation for a flower-garden contest will give pleasure to many 

 persons during the summer and autumn. Choice selections from the great 

 list of flowering annuals, well arranged, will make one of the attractive 

 places on the farm or home grounds. To take a neglected spot and 

 by means of flowering plants to transform it into a place of beauty is 

 well worth while. 



Every boy and girl should read carefully the written outline given for 

 work in the vegetable garden (page 994), as the principles given under 

 " Planning the garden " and " Cultural methods " apply equally to the 

 successful raising of annual flowers. 



Planning. — The flower garden requires as much care in planning as 

 does the vegetable garden. By following the table given on page 1009, 

 plants of the height and color desired may be grown. By careful arrange- 

 ment, making the tall plants a background for the low-growing plants, 

 a satisfactory result will be obtained. Carefully selected combinations 

 of colors will often give attractive effects. 



Draw a plan to a scale, as suggested for vegetable gardens. 



Location of garden. — Do not plan to have the flower garden too 

 prominent. The garden should be staked so that the space to be spaded 

 and fertilized will be defined. Apply a good coating of well-rotted horse 

 manure to the staked patch. With a spading fork or spade turn the 

 manure well under, and break the lumps, but do not rake the ground 

 until just before planting. 



Planting. — The time of planting and the method to be followed cannot 

 be given accurately without knowledge of local conditions; but the young 

 gardener will find the table on page 1009 helpful, and also the information 

 relating to individual plants given on pages 1005 to 1008. Obtain as much 

 advice as possible from persons who have been successful in growing 

 flowers in the locality. 



Transplanting. — The seedlings which have been grown from seed sown 

 in hotbeds or in boxes in the house are later transplanted as follows : 

 When seedlings are about an inch high, they should be transplanted to 

 flats. Before transplanting, water the seedlings thoroughly so that a 

 good quantity of soil will stay on the roots. Wet the soil in the flats 

 before setting the seedlings in them. Press the soil firmly around the 

 transplanted seedlings. As the plants develop, gradually harden them 

 by placing the flats out-of-doors when weather conditions are favorable. 

 When all danger of frost is past the seedlings can be planted in the 

 garden, the same care being taken as for the previous transplanting. 



