PLANTING OF FLOWER SEEDS 
83 
planted to their permanent location, will result in heavier 
plants, will give quicker and more satisfactory results, 
the spacing of plants in the beds can be better arranged, 
and there will be a more economical use of the seed. 
A satisfactory receptacle for starting seeds in-doors is 
a wooden box 12 by 18 inches and 21/ 2 inches deep. Such 
a box is called a “flat”. 
The flat should be filled to about 1 inch from the top 
with good soil mixed with a little sand, and the seeds scat¬ 
tered over the surface and pressed into the soil to a depth 
of about four times the diameter of the seed. The dirt 
should be kept moist (Not wet). A pane of window 
glass set over the top of the flat with a small space for 
ventilation left at one corner will accelerate the germina¬ 
tion of the seeds. The flat should be kept in a well lighted 
place, where it will get sunlight all day, especially after 
the seeds have germinated. The temperature should aver¬ 
age 60 to 70 degrees. The glass should be removed after 
the seeds are above the ground. 
When the second leaves appear the seedlings should 
be transplanted to another flat. The little plants should 
be about 1 inch apart in the flats. If they are permitted 
to remain in the flats in which the seeds germinated they 
are likely to become weak spindling plants. 
Before transplanting to their permanent beds they 
should be “hardened off”, that is, the flats should be set 
out-of-doors during the day for several days and kept in 
a moderately cool place at night. 
After all danger of frost is over (in this section about 
May 1), the plants can be transplanted to the 
permanent bed. Preparatory to planting, the ground 
should be spaded to a depth of 20 inches, well-rotted 
manure or fertilizer thoroughly worked into the soil, and 
the top-soil thoroughly pulverized. If possible the bed 
