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What Did Jack Frost Do Last Winter? 
He swept in from the Arctic and mowed down millions of flowering plants in the 
sub-tropic regions of America, but with the blessing of Mother Nature on their brave 
heads, in full bloom, the pansies "took it on the chin” and came “smilin’ through”! Can 
you wonder that we love pansies, and grow nothing but pansies? 
And yet superb pansies are difficult. Sometimes Mother Nature, the “Fickle Jade”, 
gives you three cheers for your efforts and then again more often she spreads the desola¬ 
tion of a perfect wreck of your hopes. 
First comes the selection of seed for planting our fields from specimen plants, which, 
of course, is priceless. 
At least five characteristics must be considered in pansies: 1, color; 2, size; 3, form; 
4, substance; 5, habit of growth. Types, constant and variable; dominant and recessive. 
Intensive rogueing of the unfit; usually eliminating from one-third to one-half of crop 
before seed harvest begins. Hand cross pollination from specimen plants to create new 
and superior types of hybrids. Rarely there comes a mutation. Fluffy Ruffles is our 
latest. A mutation is a constant type. At present we are rebuilding a separate color— 
“Adonis”, which will have a large percentage of ruffled types never before seen in 
Adonis. It takes from three to five years to do this. Then straight line breeding, or 
grouping similar types all requiring vigorous rogueing. 
Perhaps it will therefore be seen that in order to produce outstanding pansy seed it is 
necessary to have an organization with resources including valuable improvements and 
facilities and a staff mighty efficient and experienced on the job. Two sons and two 
daughters all grown up were born in our gardens and others with 10 or more years experi¬ 
ence are still with us. 
Thus we grow pansies and nothing but pansies. 
E. J. STEELE 
iPreparing Bed for Germinating Seed 
1. Have your soil clean and pulverized to a depth of six or more inches. 
2. On the level surface spread evenly a layer of pulverized manure, compost preferred, to depth of at least 
one inch. 
3. Overlay manure with half inch of the best soil you have, thoroughly pulverized. 
4. Rake down and tamp surface true and smooth. 
5. Soak down the bed several inches. 
6. Sow in drills or broadcast—drills are better. 
7. Cover as lightly as possible with your best soil or sand, mixed 50-50 with peat moss. 
8. Use spray of water to moisten surface, after muslin or light burlap cover is on. 
9. Allowing plenty of ventilation, keep your beds moist, quite moist, but not soaking wet, until plants come up. 
AVe use cheapest grade of burlap to retain moisture. As soon 
as plants begin to come through freely we remove burlap per¬ 
manently, and sift tops of beds with thin layer of peat moss. To 
avoid damping off, water young seedlings very sparingly. 
Never allow your beds to become dry. Any dryness after seeds 
sprout is absolutely fatal. These directions are for sowing in the 
open field, but will apply when using flats or cold frames. AVe 
use 125 to 150 square feet to sow an ounce of seed broadcast. 
Alternate your pansy crop with some other crop. 
THE UNUSUALLY HIGH GERMINATING QUALITIES OF 
STEELE’S MASTODON PANSY SEED is a revelation to all 
extensive growers who use our stock. 
Manager 
Owing to uniformity required in producing separate colors, the 
average size is not equal to the types of flowers found in our mix¬ 
tures. AVe strongly advise mixtures for your main crop, and you 
save money thereby. 
A wise friend says: “Most people try to make something for 
themselves, but shouldn’t they try to make something of them¬ 
selves?” 
One of ‘'Bud's , ’ Mastodons 
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