Il8 CULTIVATION FOR MARKET IN ENGLAND 



the plants are not disturbed until planting time. Even 

 when in boxes some growers do not disturb them, but 

 others will pot off in February, allowing one seedling to a 

 2%-m., or two to a 3^-in. pot. 



In one or two places the growers prefer to plant in the 

 open in November, but in most cases they over-Winter 

 their plants in frames. When the plants have made 

 four or five leaves, by which time they are 3 or 4 in. 

 tall, the points are nipped out to induce the basal eyes to 

 push forth. Small twigs are inserted in the pots to keep 

 the plants erect, and about the last week in March and 

 during the first fortnight in April they are set out in their 

 flowering quarters. 



Opinions differ regarding planting, some arguing that 

 single plants in small pots grow away better than those 

 that have to be shaken out of the soil, which is necessary 

 when more than one plant is grown in a pot. The writer's 

 experience is that single plants suffer no check, and thus 

 they come into flower earlier. Plants that are shaken 

 out are apt to stand still, especially if cold winds are preva- 

 lent; but on the other hand they have, perhaps, a longer 

 period of blooming. It need hardly be stated that the 

 plants are thoroughly hardened off before planting. Feb- 

 ruary sowings naturally require careful hardening off, and 

 as a general rule they are not ready for planting out so 

 early as the Autumn sown. Weather conditions and 

 disease allowing it, the Spring sowings will carry on the 

 blooming period over a longer season, but personally, we, 

 ourselves, have given up February sowings, as disease 

 affects them so seriously. 



The method of planting generally adopted is the 

 double row system. The plants are set 12 in. apart and 

 15 in. between the rows. Five feet is the average between 



