36 
LETHERMAN’S SEED HOUSE, Canton, Ohio 
FLOWER SEED 
To help you grow flowers successfully, we give the following cultural directions for growing 
every kind of flowers we list. 
At the heading of each variety will be found the number of the culture to use. The key letter 
indicates the Annuals, Biennials, Perennials, etc. 
Other valuable information is also given, such as height, time of blooming, range of colors and 
suitable locations. 
Be careful not to cover the seed too deep as this is the most frequent cause of failure; a safe 
rule is to cover the seed twice its diameter with fine sifted soil, very fine seed should be sown on 
the surface and pressed into close contact with the soil with a smooth board or brick. 
Best results are obtained by the use of a shallow box or flat about 4 inches deep. Cover the 
bottom with about an inch of cinders, gravel or other rough material to provide drainage, fill to 
within V 2 inch of the top with good light soil that will not bake or form a crust. 
By this method moisture can be controlled and seed saved from washing rains. The young ten¬ 
der seedilngs may also be protected from too direct exposure to the sun and destruction by insects. 
Key to Symbols 
A—Annual. B—Biennial. P—Perennial. H—House Plant. 
R—Rock Carden Plant, Annual and Perennial. 
CULTURAL DIRECTIONS FOR GROWING FLOWERS 
Culture No. 1. Sow from April until June in the open 
land. Thin out the seedlings where too thick. In heavy 
land it is advisable to sow either in flats or hotbed and 
then plant out in permanent location. 
Culture No. 2. Sow in February or March in flats or 
hotbed. During germinating period medium tempera¬ 
ture and moderate watering should be maintained. As 
soon as the seedlings can be handled, prick off and 
later set out in permanent location. 
Culture No. 3. Sow from March until May in flats or 
hotbed. Give plenty of water and when the seedlings 
can be handled put out in permanent location. Seed 
can also be sown in April or May in the open land and 
thinned out where too heavy. 
Culture No. 4. Sow from March on, in a hotbed, pots 
or flats in a mixture of good loam with some sand and 
compost added. Careful ventilation must be given in 
order that the seedlings become well hardened off. 
The planting in the open may be made the first of 
May. 
Culture No. 5. Sow from February until April in pots 
or flats in a light soil mixture and hold in a moderate 
temperature, lightly covered. The seedlings should be 
pricked off and replanted in May or June in pots or 
permanent outside position. 
Culture No. 6. Sow from February to April in flats or 
hodbed watering but moderately. Germination usually 
takes from three to four weeks. Seedlings should be 
pricked off and planted out in May or June. 
Culture No. 8. Sow in pots or flats from February 
until April, in a mixture of compost, sod and sand of 
equal parts. Considerable bottom heat should be given. 
The seed should be pressed in lightly and then covered 
with a newspaper. As soon as possible prick off the 
seedlings into flats. Harden off slowly and plant in 
the open after the middle of May. 
Culture No. 10. The best time for sowing is from 
February to April in hotbed, pots or flats, using a good 
rich, moderately heavy soil with which considerable 
sand has been mixed. Sow the seed thin and press 
down lightly. Water thoroughly with a fine spray and 
cover the seed with newspaper. Give moderate bot¬ 
tom heat until the seedlings appear. Shade the seed¬ 
lings lightly and water again. Watering should be done 
from now on only when the seedlings become quite 
dry, otherwise they will damp off. Transplanting into 
the open can take place from April on. For pot culture, 
put 6 to 8 plants in a pot. It has been noted that the 
strong growing seedlings are usually single, the weak¬ 
er growers producing the double blooms. 
Culture No. 12. Sow from June to September in 
hotbed or flats. The seed should be well watered and 
shaded and great care must be taken that the surface 
does not dry, otherwise the germination will be great¬ 
ly effected. Prick off and plant out in September or 
October in the open land. 
