CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
It is a very satisfactory plan to make several sowings of 
seed, so the pansies will be at their best at different times. 
In most climates best results are obtained by planting pansy 
seed in August or early September for early spring blooms. 
If seed is planted in October, it is safer not to transplant 
the seedlings until spring, for in most climates, they will not 
have time to become well established before the freezing 
weather sets in. 
Spring Planting is desirable in climates too severe for the 
safe wintering over of plants. These should bloom profusely 
all summer, but will produce their largest blooms in the fall 
or during a cool rainy spell in summer if there should be one. 
Sow the seed thinly in seed-boxes or flats and sift just 
enough soil (and peat moss, if available) over the seed to 
barely cover them. Then firm the soil by pressing it with a 
flat board before sprinkling. Sprinkle twice a day or often 
enough so that the seed never dries out. Cover with a cloth 
or lath frame until they have germinated well. If the seed is 
planted in the spring a glass frame hastens germination and 
growth. Seed should germinate in from seven to fourteen 
days, depending upon conditions. 
The seed beds should be protected during heavy storms or 
the tiny seedlings will be beaten down and perhaps ruined. 
More people fail to get good germination through sowing 
their seed too deep or letting it dry out than any other 
causes, so especial care should be taken in regard to that. 
But damping off may result if kept too moist, so it is better 
to sprinkle often rather than a great deal at a time. The 
shading with some kind of frame is also important because 
then they will not dry out so fast and there isn’t so much 
danger of neglecting to sprinkle often enough. 
Transplant when the seedlings have three or four leaves if 
weather conditions are favorable. Better let them become a 
little crowded than to transplant during a hot dry spell. Fall 
seedlings should be planted out in the open where they will 
get plenty of sunshine and where they will remain for spring 
blooming unless the winter is apt to be extremely severe. In 
such places they may need the protection of cold frames but 
pansies will stand even some zero weather if protected by 
straw or peat moss placed around (not over) the plants. 
Pansies that weather it through the winter out in the open 
will make the sturdiest plants and produce the largest, finest 
blooms in early spring. 
Pansies that are transplanted in the spring for summer 
blooming, do well on the east side of some building where 
they will get the morning sun but not the hot afternoon sun. 
The north side gives pansies too much shade for good results. 
Plants that are being grown for spring sales, may be set 
about six or eight inches apart in the row and the rows may 
be about fifteen or more inches apart, depending upon what 
method of cultivation is used. If the plants are to remain all 
summer, they should be set at least a foot apart in the row. 
Pansies want rich soil. Well rotted cow fertilizer seems to 
be the best for pansies, although rabbit, chicken, sheep and 
horse manures are good, as well as bone-meal and other com¬ 
mercial fertilizers. It is a good plan to enrich the soil well, 
several months before time to transplant the seedlings. 
In cultivating, leave the bed flat. Some people have a ten¬ 
dency to cultivate, raking the soil away from the plant so that 
each plant is left sitting on a little mound and this is apt to 
leave the side roots exposed. Rake the soil toward the 
plants; not away from them. Always cultivate the next day 
after irrigating, leaving the soil loose. This dust mulch helps 
to conserve the moisture, and it is not necessary to irrigate 
so often. 
MRS. MERTON G. ELLIS 
CANBY (Closed on Sundays OREGON 
