Curtiirar Direction 
Firm soil in flat with 
brick or block of wood 
If you are in the habit of buying your plants ready grown, you have no idea of the 
thrill you are missing by not growing your own from seed. In addition to the 
pleasure of raising your own plants, it will enable you to have newer and rarer 
varieties in your garden, plants of which are often difficult and expensive to obtain. 
By following the few simple directions given below you will be surprised to find 
how easily most plants can be raised from seed. 
CLASSIFICATION 
TENDER—Plant will not stand any frost. 
HALF HARDY—Plant wili stand light frost. 
HARDY—Plant will stand considerable frost. Can be planted in autumn or spring. 
ANNUALS—Bloom the first year from seed and the plant dies after one season. 
BIENNIALS—Bloom the second year from seed and plant dies after second year. 
PERENNIALS—Bloom the second year from seed and the plant blooms during suc¬ 
cessive years. If sown early in the spring many will bloom the first year. 
SOWINQ SEEDS IN THE OPEN QROUND 
Irrigate thoroughly, and after a few days spade, pulverize 
and rake level. 
Open a shallow furrow, sow the seeds, cover immediately 
and firm the soil to the seeds with the back of the rake. 
Level the surface by raking, leaving a loose mulch on top. 
Avoid sprinkling, for this would form a crust, which would 
exclude the air and make it very difficult for the tiny plants 
to break through the surface. The thorough irrigation be¬ 
fore spading should provide plentiful moisture to germinate 
the seeds without additional water being applied. If sow¬ 
ings are made when the weather is very warm it is a good 
plan to cover the rows with strips of burlap until the seeds 
sprout. After the plants are up, they may be sprinkled or 
irrigated, following each irrigation with surface cultivation 
to break the crust that may form. 
When the plants are sufficiently developed, thin to a dis¬ 
tance between plants that will give room for those remain¬ 
ing to develop well. The thinning process may continue 
for some time, removing each alternate plant at frequent 
intervals. Those plants removed from the row may be 
transplanted to other parts of the garden, if desired, or 
delight the heart of a neighbor or friend. In removing the 
plants, take sufficient soil with each one so as to disturb 
roots as little as possible. 
SOWINQ SEEDS IN FLATS 
It is usually better to start small seeds in shallow boxes or flats. A flat is a box about 
20 inches square and about 3 inches deep. Fill the flat to the top with a mixture com¬ 
posed of two-thirds peat moss, thoroughly moistened, to one-third coarse sand. Firm 
the soil in the flat with a brick or block of wood, leaving a smooth surface. Broadcast 
the seeds on the surface, pressing them lightly into the soil, and cover them with sand 
only. They should be covered to a depth of about two and a half to three times the 
breadth of the seed itself. Fold a burlap sack to fit on top of the soil after 1 the seeds 
are sown and covered. The purpose of the burlap is to hold the soil and seed in place, 
to prevent washing and to retain the moisture. 
Place the flat in the shade during the summer months and in the sun during the winter 
months. Lift the burlap occasionally to see if the seeds are germinated and then at 
the first sign of germination, remove the burlap, then sprinkle lightly, keeping the soil 
thoroughly moist until all of the seeds, have germinated. 
The young plants require sunshine, therefore the fiat should be placed in the sunlight 
after all the seeds have germinated. When the plants have acquired a second or third 
set of leaves, or when they have grown sufficiently large for transplanting, they may 
be removed to the open ground. They should not be left in the fiats for too long a 
time as younger plants are more successfully transplanted than those that have grown 
too tall and woody. 
See A & M PLANTING CALENDAR on inside of back cover for varieties to plant in 
the open ground or in flats, time of planting, etc. For other tables see pages 37, 94, 95. 
FEED YOUR PLANTS 
in order to thrive. Give them a complete plant food con¬ 
taining the three most necessary elements usually found 
in insufficient quantities in the soil—nitrogen, phosphorus 
and potash. 
Each plant food element has a par¬ 
ticular function of its own. Nitro¬ 
gen produces luxuriant and rapid 
growth. Phosphorus strengthens growth, develops a strong 
root system and accentuates productivity. Potassium pro¬ 
motes sturdiness and gives better color to flowers, also 
texture and flavor to vegetables and fruits. 
A plant food such as this should be used lightly (3 to 5 
pounds per 100 square feet) several times during the season 
rather than heavily once a year. It will give equally good 
results on vegetables, flowers, shrubs, trees and lawns. 
See pages 82 and 84 for Plant Foods. 
See pages 88-89 
PROTECT YOUR PLANTS—Write for the Acme Spraying Quide 
Garden insects In general are divided into two classes, sucking and chewing. In the sucking 
class are such Insects as aphis, thrips, scale, mealy bug, etc. These may be controlled by con¬ 
tact insecticides such as nicotine, oil sprays, lime-sulphur, pyrethrum, etc. Chewing insects are 
various species of worms, caterpillars, beetles, etc., which actually chew the leaves of the plants. 
To control these a stomach poison may be used, such as Lead Arsenate, Calcium Arsenate, 
Paris Green, Derocide, etc. 
For fungus diseases, such as mildew, blight, leaf spot, etc., use Bordeaux Mixture, Basic Copper 
Sulphate, Fungusol, etc. 
See pages 85, 86 and 87 for Insecticides. 
NON-WARRANTY: Note—There are so many contingencies to he encountered in growing plants from seed 
and in setting out plants that are dependent on the weather and other conditions over which we have no 
control, that success in planting is not altogether dependent on the seed or plant. We will send out only 
seed which we believe will grow and produce the kind of plant and variety represented, hut— 
Aggeler & Musser Seed Co, gives no warranty, express or implied, as to description, quality, productiveness, or 
any other matter of any seeds, bulbs, plants or trees they send out, and they will not be in any way responsible 
for the crop. 
