90 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



Maech, 1912 



The young seedlings may be 



ied our " to give more room to each, little plant. 

 ouTdoors is ideal for this 



A coldframe 



making it more friable: and the rotten 

 manure makes it more spongy, light and 

 porous. These various ingredients should 

 be sifted through a screen of quarter-inch 

 mesh — an ash sifter is just the thing — 

 and well mixed together. 



This preparation of the soil will save 

 much disappointment and may explain 

 past experiences in "bad seed" as you 

 thought. Bad or dead seed is a very 

 unlikely thing as a matter of fact. 



STARTING THE SEEDLINGS 



The "'flats" mentioned are simply shal- 

 low boxes, two to three inches deep. Save 

 up a couple of cracker boxes and bottom 

 them, leaving cracks a quarter of an inch 

 wide, or bore hah a dozen half -inch holes. 



Select one or two of the two-inch deep 

 ones, and cover the bottoms with coarse 

 material, such as the screenings from the 

 cMp-dirt and soil. Then fill to within half 

 an inch of the top with your prepared soil 

 and give a good thorough soaking. Put 

 on about a quarter of an inch more of 

 soil, level it off, and mark off lines about 

 three inches apart. Sow the seed thinly 

 — six to twelve to the inch in these, and 

 cover verv lightly. Do not water the sur- 



face of the soil. The surplusage of water at 

 the bottom will soak up, and in a few 

 hours will have given the seeds a more 

 thorough and even application of water 

 than you could possibly give with a water- 

 ing can. I start thousands of seedlings this 

 way even" spring, and always get better 

 results than I did with the oid method. 



Xow cover each flat with a pane of glass. 

 (This may not be necessary with seeds 

 of quick, strong, germination like lettuce 

 and cabbage, but it is the sure way.) This 

 miniature greenhouse roof retains the 

 moisture evaporated from the soil, and at 

 the same time admits the light. 



Do not water again until the surface 

 of the soil becomes dry. With the glass 

 covering this should not be necessary 

 until after the seeds have sprouted — two 

 to ten days, according to variety and 

 temperature. 



To get things started quickly, the flats, 

 immediately after planting, may be given 

 "bottom heat." In the house, the back 

 part of the kitchen range, at night, or near 

 it, or on a piece of plank on a radiator, will 

 do to supply this extra heat. Another 

 good plan is to make a little framework 

 support to place over a radiator, so that 



Or The seedlings may be raised in small boxes indoors or in a frame and later on transplanted directly 



to the open, after hardening 



the "fiats" may be held at some distance 

 above it. Do not let the boxes come in 

 direct contact with a hot dry surface, as 

 it will warp them and dry the soil very 

 quickly. 



This extra heat should be given only 

 until the seeds begin to germinate — not 

 hah" a day longer. Then move them to 

 where the temperature will be as near as 

 you can give it to the normal. 



Water early on bright mornings, only 

 when water is needed, as indicated by a 

 drying out of the surface, and then water 

 thoroughly, but keep flats in the sun so 

 that the foliage will be dried off by night. 



The most insidious enemy of seedlings 

 is the dreaded "damping off" ! — a black 

 rot attacking the frail stems at the sur- 

 face of the soil. Keeping the leaves and 

 soil dry, and giving fresh air whenever 

 possible, I have found to be the most 

 effective precautions against it. 



Keep the little seedlings "growing on," 

 giving an airing every day the outside 

 temperature permits (but never letting the 

 draught strike directly upon the plants) 

 until they are ready for "pricking off," 

 or transplanting. They are ready for this 

 operation about the time the second true 

 leaf forms. 



Fill some of the three-inch flats about a 

 third full of old manure, and then add 

 about another third of the prepared soil. 

 (Soil enriched with bone-dust, a good 

 handful to a flat, will do if no manure is 

 at hand.) Then soak thoroughly and fill 

 level full with soil. 



The little seedlings are taken as gently 

 as possible from the seed box, removing 

 a clump at a time, earth and all. Held 

 gently between thumb and forefinger of 

 one hand, they are lowered into a hole 

 prepared for them with the forefinger of 

 the other, or with a "dibber" — a small 

 pointed stick. This hole should be large 

 and deep enough to take the little bunch 

 of roots and half to two thirds of the stem. 

 Then with both thumbs and forefingers 

 the little plant is "firmed" into place. 

 They should be put from two to four 

 inches apart each way: fifty in a 13 x 21-in. 

 flat, being a good number. 



Give a gentle watering, and keep shaded 

 at least during the middle of the day for 

 two or three days, until they take hold. 

 Then give all the light and air possible, 

 watering as before on bright mornings. 



MAKING ROOM 



Xow by the time the second sowing of 

 seeds, tomatoes, etc., has reached the 

 transplanting stage, the earlier cabbage 

 and lettuce will be ready to go outdoors. 

 A coldframe is just the place for them. 

 But if you haven't one, a few boards and 

 old window sash, or light frames covered 

 with "protecting cloth" (which is to be 

 had for a few cents a yard) will answer the 

 purpose. They will stand a little freezing, 

 but should be thawed out in the shade. 



For several nights before time for 

 setting out in the garden they should be 

 "hardened off" by being left unprotected. 



