CUT-FLOWER CROPS 297 



424. Soil preparation. In growing good mignonette, a 

 well-prepared soil is of prime importance. The same 

 kind of soil is used as for carnations, and is prepared by 

 first plowing the sod land after the grass has been cut, 

 usually about the first of August. After plowing, the 

 wheel-harrow is used, and then rye and Canadian White 

 cow peas are sown. The last of October or the first of 

 November, a heavy top-dressing of cow or horse manure 

 is applied. Cow manure is preferable. This is plowed 

 under and left until spring. As soon as it is possible 

 to work the ground, the land is wheel-harrowed several 

 times and an application of manure is made. The soil 

 is plowed again, well disked, and bone meal applied, about 

 one ton to the acre ; the land is then ridged and the soil 

 is ready for the benches. This method of preparation 

 eliminates much hand work, and there is little danger of 

 the soil becoming sour, as it frequently does if the compost 

 method is used. 



425. Filling benches. Most growers prefer to grow 

 mignonette in raised benches about five inches deep. An 

 inch of well-rotted stable manure is placed on the bottom 

 of the bench, and the remainder is filled with the com- 

 posted loam. 



426. Seed sowing. The surface of the soil is leveled 

 carefully and marked off in rows six by eight inches apart. 

 From six to ten seeds are dropped at the intersection of 

 each row, and covered very lightly. A light watering 

 with a fine sprinkler is then given the soil to settle it 

 around the seeds. 



Three sowings of seed are made each year, on the 

 first weeks of July, August and September. The last 

 sowing flowers until the next July. After the seeds have 

 germinated, and the seedlings have developed the third 



