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CATCHING COIN 



^ WITH CALENDULAS 



Cale7idulas are exceptionally easy to grow, says this writer. Yet his 

 notable success in their culture surely is not due to the simplicity of the 

 process, hut is the result of his exact knowledge of the plants' requirements. 

 Here he gives other growers the benefit of his experience with this crop. 



L ANTING the seed any 



Ptimo after July 1, twelve 

 to fourteen inches apart, 

 in u rich, deep soil, and 

 V maintaining a temperature 



\,J^ of 50 degrees — these cover 

 in a general way all the es- 

 sential points in growing 

 caleudulas. There is per- 

 haps no greenhouse crop 

 which is more easily handled or which 

 can be exposed to a greater variation 

 of temperature. . According to the 

 writer's experience, there are no plants 

 that are more easily bred to a fine 

 standard. While not so profitable as 

 our big crops, being 



By GEORGE J. BALL. 



crop, 



conditions 

 ble for 

 staples 



calendulas can 



impossi- 



the big 



Further- 



more of a catch 

 be grown under 



particularly for the early planting. 

 Trans])lanting seedlings to an open bed 

 during hot weather is often a losing 

 game; the roots, remaining too close to 

 the surface, burn out. Shade and care 

 iul attention to watering partly over- 

 come this, but a well rooted 2-inch or 

 .']-inch pot plant stands a better chanci'. 

 For late use these i)lants can be left 

 out in a frame, as a light frost does 

 them no harm. 



Best Stems in Solid Beds. 



We have grown splendid early-planted 

 calendulas until Christmas in a north 

 bench almost completely shaded by 



more, the cut flow 

 ers keep well when 

 proporly stored, 

 they have a pun 

 gent odor that i^ 

 jdeasiug to most 

 people and the flow- 

 ers of all tyi)e8 are 

 richly endowed with 

 color. Easily as 

 c a 1 e n <1 u 1 a s are 

 grown, however, 

 there are a number 

 of details in their 

 culture whick may 

 profitably be noted. 



Several Sowings. 



Seed is sown as 

 t^arly as July 1 for 

 the main crop. This 

 l)lanting is curried 

 on until (yhristinas, 

 or as late as St. Val- 

 entine 's day. By 

 that time the early 

 plants are well cut 

 down, but if left 

 standing they will 

 break out freely .iml 

 ^et into heavy crop 

 for the spring 

 months. However, 

 when head room 

 permits, it is pref 

 era ble to plant 

 sweet )X'a« for the 

 spring crop. If beds 

 are not available 

 until October or 

 V o V o m b e r, seed 

 should be sown 

 :ibout SoYJtcmber 1. 



It is advisable to 

 pot ♦iRe >»eec|}3ng«. 



George J. Ball. 



sweet peas. Keally th(; only require- 

 ments are two feet of head room and a 

 <leep, well manured solid or ground bed. 

 Any balanced manure will do. A raised 

 l>ed will grow good flowers, but it does 

 not produce the strong growth required 

 for long stems unless strong forcing is 

 resorted to. The reason so many flowers 

 about the market have the appearance 

 of having undergone a 40-day fast is 

 obvious. The calendula is a rank 

 grower and must be treated accordingly, 

 or short-stemmed flowers are the suie 

 result. 



As to the distance between the plants, 

 we give them a square foot of space, 

 which is sufficient when disbudding is 

 practiced. If all the growth is allowed, 

 which jneans small 

 and short-stemmed 

 flowers but plenty 

 of them, a space of 

 f (> u r t e e u inches 

 each way is better. 

 Kxeept to keep 

 the growth out of 

 the walks, we \ise 

 no .supports; even 

 long-stemmed, dis- 

 budded stock holds 

 itself up well. When 

 the drainage is free- 

 they can hardly be 

 overwatered. 



Disbudding. 



Unless the plants 

 are making vig- 

 orous growth, dis- 

 budding is hardly 

 po.ssible because of 

 the lack of stems, 

 but under favorable 

 conditions the stems 

 lengthen and the 

 laterals are removed 

 as from any other 

 stock. The first bud 

 appearing on tht- 

 young plants should 

 be broken out. This 

 puts more vigor 

 into the lower 

 arrowth. 



We allow all these 

 growths to come 

 from early-planted 

 stock. Eight to ten 

 of them should pro- 

 duce flowers by 

 Christmas. 



As to insects and 

 other pests, the 

 green cutworm that 

 the mignonette 

 grower must watch 



