24 The Book of Annuals 



One great difficulty in raising the seedlings in flats 

 is that they are liable to become spindling, the re- 

 sult of forcing in a warm and not entirely congenial 

 atmosphere. It would be well to keep the flats in a 

 room that does not get too much artificial heat. Flats 

 of very sturdy little seedlings have been raised behind 

 a window in a cool attic, where they have gotten the 

 benefit of the sun and none of the harm that comes 

 from superheated rooms. The coldframe naturally is 

 a better place still, and it is in such a place that 

 seedlings will attain the sturdiest growth. 



If the seedlings show their second true leaves before 

 the weather has become settled enough to transplant 

 them to their permanent quarters, they should be 

 taken out of the fiats and put into pots, old berry- 

 boxes or paper pots. In transplanting the seedlings, 

 either to flats, pots or outdoors, lift a portion of a 

 row with a trowel, taking the soil to the full depth 

 of the box and then break off small pieces containing 

 individual plants. With what is known as a " dibber ' ' 

 or "dibble" — a short length of broomstick pointed 

 at one end — a hole is made in the new location. Tak- 

 ing the little plant by the stem, it is lowered into this 

 hole until all the roots and half its stem are under 

 the surface. The dibble is then put in again an inch 

 away from the hole and moved towards the plant so as 

 to close up the opening in which it is held. 



After transplanting the seedlings, whether to an 

 indoor location or outside, keep the plants from the 

 sun for two or three days. 



