CHAPTER IV 
STARTING PLANTS FROM SEED 
NE of the ways of getting a supply of plants 
() for the house is to start them from seed. 
With a number of varieties, better speci- 
mens may be obtained by this method than by any 
other. Most of the annuals, and many of the bien- 
nials and perennials, are best reproduced in this 
way. 
Simple as the art of starting plants from seed 
may seem, there are a number of things which must 
be thought of, and done correctly. We must give 
them a proper situation, soil, temperature, covering 
and amount of moisture, and when once above 
ground they need careful attention until lifted and 
started on their way as individual plants. 
The number of plants of one sort which will be 
required for the house is naturally not large, and 
for that reason beginners often try starting their 
seeds in pots. But a pot is not a good thing to try 
to start plants in: the amount of earth is too small 
and dries out quickly. Seed pans are better, but 
even they must be watched very carefully. A 
wooden box, or flat, is better still. Cigar boxes 
are often used with good results; but a more satis- 
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