SHAwJ PLANTS FOR CLASS-ROOMS 67 



The most staisfactory of all plants for children to raise from seed 

 and obtain a blossoming result in a short time, is the dwarf French 

 marigold. It will bloom in from five to six weeks after planting. 

 These seeds may be planted in thumb pots for the children of kin- 

 dergarten age, or with the older children use three inch pots or low 

 boxes (fiats). Sweet alyssum may be treated in the same way. 

 It takes from six to eight weeks to flower. Plamt four to six seeds 



Transplanting Seedlings. Christmas Sweet Peas 

 on Side ^ench 



of either kind in the small pots, and eight in the larger ones. When 

 these come up, and never do all of them germinate, reduce the 

 number of plants in each pot leaving three in the small pots and 

 four to six in the large pots. The little dwarf French marigolds do 

 not grow very bushy, so the pot can hold more than one would sup- 

 pose. If flats are used, sprinkle the seed over the surface of the soil, 

 scatter a little soil over them, let this layer be no deeper than one 

 quarter inch. Then water such pans or flats of seedlings through 

 cheesecloth. Any ordinarily good soil will do for this work. If it is 

 possible to have a bench or table in some out-of-the-way place, 

 then use this for a potting bench. Buy a cheap sieve of about 

 quarter inch mesh of wire, and then the children can have a fine 

 time sifting the soil. For this work with small seeds is helped 

 materially if the soil be fine, too. After the soil is sifted mix in 

 with it some rotted manure or some leaf mold. If either of these 

 is available, give the class a regular soil receipt for potting of seed- 

 lings. Three parts garden soil to one pait leaf mold or rotted 



