Planting the Seed Bed Stock 



11 



San Di'mas, California 



half shaded, which is sufficient for the protection of the plants 

 after they begin to grow. If it is undesirable to go to the expense 

 of a lath house, the bed can be successfully covered at much less 

 expense by putting up stakes at intervals and stretching wires 

 on them. On these wires should be strung strips of burlap or 

 light cloth. This protects the young plants from the sun. 



There are two methods of sowing the seed, the first being by 

 broad-casting. After the seed is scattered, it should be covered 

 to a depth of about one inch with sand which has been thoroughly 

 screened before using. It is also a good plan to first cover the 

 seed with about its own thickness of fine sifted soi before applying 



If the bed has been properly cared for and the season favorable, 

 the plants should be ready for removing to the nursery the follow- 

 ing season, or one year from the time the seed is planted, though 

 if desirable they can be carried two years in the bed before being 

 removed and with good success. In this way a much larger lot 

 of plants would be secured. It is not best to plant very small 

 seed-bed stock in nursery form, it being too delicate to success- 

 fully withstand the open rays of the sun and is apt not to start 

 readily in the nursery, if at all. Where the removing of the plants 

 from seed-bed to nursery can be delayed, it is best to leave them 

 two years, as the stocks vary in size. If desirable, the larger 



A BLOCK OF 100,000 SEEDLING CITRUS TREES, ONE YEAR FROM PLANTING, READY FOR BUDDING. 



the sand. This will insure the seed being moist at all times and 

 will greatly help in the germinating process. In following the 

 above method of planting it is necessary to sow the seed in beds, 

 leaving small walks of sufficient width so a man can go through 

 to spray properly when necessary with a garden hose, and without 

 damage to the plants. The second method of sowing the seed 

 is in drills of from eight to twelve inches wide, leaving about a 

 six to eight inch space between each drill for the running of water 

 in irrigating. Seed sown in this maaner will grow stockier plants 

 as a rule than by the broad-cast method in beds. However, it 

 takes up more room for a bed of an equal number of plants than 

 by the broad-cast method. After the seed is planted it is neces- 

 sary to keep it sufficiently watered for the germinating and 

 starting of the plants, but not an excessive amount of water. If too 

 much water is used, it is apt to decay the seed in the ground. 



plants can be removed from the bed the first year from the 

 seed, and the small ones left in the bed another season. As the 

 remainder will then be thinned to some extent, the plants re- 

 maining in the bed will do much better and make good, stocky 

 plants at the end of the second year. 



TRANSPLANTING THE SEED-BED PLANTS TO NUR- 

 SERY ROWS. In taking up the seed-bed plants for nursery 

 planting, it is well to thoroughly wet down the bed so as to insure 

 getting all the root system possible, and in loosening the plants 

 it is best to use a four-tine spading fork. After they are thorough- 

 ly loosened they can be taken up and made or sorted in two grades, 

 or the larger ones can be pulled out, leaving the smaller ones to 

 remain in the bed over another season. If the entire bed is to 

 be used at one planting, it is best to make two grades and plant 



