FLOWER SEEDS FOR FLORISTS 
INC. 
GROWING GOOD STOCKS 
I T is necessary that you use well enriched clean soil. If fresh or used, we find 
it pays us well to saturate it with hot water before using/ also, well decayed 
manure should be mixed freely with such soil for stocks or any other crop and this 
should be done at least 3 to 4 months before using it. Manure seems necessary to un¬ 
lock the fertility in fresh soil. In our latitude the earliest sowing is safely made August 1. 
If sown earlier there is some danger in any Ten Week Stocks of coming blind, 
producing a heavy growth of leaves only. To avoid the same result in the spring, our 
latest sowing is made February 20. Sowings can be m ade any time between these 
dates,- our rule is to sow a trade packet to a flat, doing so about a month before the 
bed in which they are to be grown is ready for them. We do not recommend potting 
young Stocks because of the danger of checking their growth through becoming pot 
bound or allowing them to dry out excessively. It is much better to transplant but 
once — from the seed to the flowering bed. 
The mid-winter crop is grown to best advantage on raised beds,- on deep ground beds, 
during dark winter months, the growth becomes soft and the flowers inclined to wilt 
after being cut. This can be I argely overcome by running them cold, 40-45° nights 
and ventilating whenever possible. Normally we grow them 48 to 50° nights, 10 
to 15° higher during'the day. 
A sowing made not later than August 1 and grown on a raised bed can be flowered for Christmas 
by exposing them to electric lights four hours a night, beginning late in October. This plan will net a 
good profit. The early sowing must have at least two tiers of wire and string supports. The lot started 
in February ordinarily flowers around June 1 and is supported with two sets of supports. You can 
increase the proportion of doubles by removing the weakest seedlings. This we do when 3 to 4 inches 
high in the flowering bed. It has been definitely proven that the weakest seedlings are most inclined 
to come single. If further detail on the culturing of stocks is wanted, consult your “Ball Red Book.” 
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