74 LUTHER BURBANK 



THE CARE or SEEDLINGS 



As the Watsonia is not generally known, it 

 may be worth while to give a few specific direc- 

 tions as to the raising of seedlings of this inter- 

 esting plant. 



In general it should be said that, where the 

 climate is suitable, the Watsonia may be raised 

 as easily from the seed as the gladiolus, and the 

 treatment required is altogether similar. My 

 method is to plant the seed in shallow, well 

 drained boxes of sandy soil, as soon as they are 

 ripe in the fall. By March we have, in each 

 box eighteen inches square, perhaps a thousand 

 Watsonias about six inches in height, if other 

 conditions are right. They thrive very well 

 when planted as thickly as this in the boxes. 



In the spring the choicest appearing plants 

 are transplanted singly into rows. The ones 

 that are not quite so choice are set out in the 

 mass, by breaking up the soil into squares hold- 

 ing fifty to one hundred plants, all being 

 planted in the open field, and by fall are ready 

 to transplant into rows for testing. 



A still more rapid method is to sprout the 

 seed in moist sand at the proper season in the 

 fall, just as the rains commence, sowing them 

 quite thickly in drills eight inches apart and an 



