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Flower Seed Culture 59 
Fill flat to top with sifted soil 
and scrape level 
Firm seed bed by tamping light¬ 
ly with brick or board. 
Helpful Hints About Starting 
Your Flower Seeds 
This new feature of the Templin-Bradley catalog is presented 
as a service to those trying unfamiliar flower seeds for the first 
time. 
On pages 4 to 33, under the name of each family of Annual 
Flower Seeds, you will find whether we recommend Culture 
“A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “E,” or “F.” All of these cultures are given 
below. 
The majority of the Perennial Seeds offered on pages 35 to 
42 should be started by following Culture “F” below. However, 
after Cultures “C,” “D” and “E” below, a few varieties of 
Perennial Seeds are listed which should be started under those 
recommendations. 
If you find these Cultural suggestions of value to you, let us 
know by card or letter or a notation on your order. If, on the 
other hand, you do not think it worth while, we would ap¬ 
preciate knowing that, too. 
Sow seed In shallow rows and 
barely cover. Merely press very 
fine seed In the surface 
An easy, time-saving method of 
making holes for transplanting 
seedlings. 
A Start seed in open garden April to 
June where plants are to stand. 
Wait until danger of frost is past 
and soil is warm. Soii shouid be loamy 
and worked fine. If soU is heavy it is ad¬ 
visable to sow in seed bed (See culture 
“B”) and transplant to permanent 
place. Very small seed should merely be 
pressed in or barely covered. Coarse seed 
should be covered to about four times its 
diameter. In either case, firm the soil 
over‘seed to bring up moisture. Soil 
should not be allowed to become hard 
and dry at any time, but too much water 
may cause “damping off.’’ Lay a piece of 
burlap or newspapers over seed bed to 
hold moisture and prevent baking of soil 
before tiny piants appear above the sur¬ 
face. When the little plants come up, pull 
out some and transplant if they stand too 
thickly so they have a better chance to 
develop. Keep soil loose around the plants. 
B Sow outdoors from April to June, 
then transplant. Prepare seed bed 
in the open, of loose, loamy soil, 
raised slightiy above surrounding sur¬ 
face. Surround the bed with a wooden 
curb to prevent rain washing across it. 
Its width should not be more than four 
feet so it can be worked easily. If possible 
use spot sheltered from strong winds, 
but shady iocations are not recommend¬ 
ed as seedlings shouid have fuli sun. 
Sow seed in rows five inches apart. Other¬ 
wise foilow instructions in cuiture “A’’ 
above. Transplant seedlings when they 
make true leaves which are second pair 
that show or they may be left until 
larger before being moved. 
C Start seed in cold frame or flat or 
florists’ pot outdoors April to 
July. This cuiture is for slow ger¬ 
minating seeds. Some require a year to 
germinate. Use soil described in culture 
“D.’’ Firm soil and broadcast seed which 
should be covered about four times its 
diameter. Use shaded location with free 
circulation of air. In spring, summer and 
fall water often enough to prevent soil 
from drying out. Muiching with peat 
moss helps to retain moisture. Over the 
winter place in protected spot outdoors 
and cover with leaves. Remember such 
seed requires considerable time, so do 
not disturb too quickly. It will eventu¬ 
ally grow if given time enough and soil, 
moisture, etc., are correct. If moss forms 
on soii, sprinkle fresh soil over top. 
When seedlings produce true leaves, 
transplant. 
The following perennial seeds require “C” culture 
Aconitum Dlctamnus Penstemon 
Adonis Helleborus Phlox 
Baptisla Lobelia Polemonium 
Cerastlum Meconopsis Primula 
Oenothera Statlce 
D Start seed indoors in Aprii or May 
in box or regular florists’ pot. 
Place receptacle in south window 
so it may have sunlight most of the day. 
Box should have holes in bottom for 
drainage. After covering drainage holes 
in pot or box with broken pottery, flil 
with mixture of half sand and half black 
loam. This is regular potting soil, which 
may be obtained from florists. Firm the 
soil. Place pot or box in water so that it 
soaks up from below, or use a fine spray 
that does not wash soil. Place in dark 
room, covering with piece of burlap or 
newspaper until the plants appear, 
when receptacle should Immediately be 
placed in full light. To conserve moisture 
cover pot or box with glass. When mois¬ 
ture collects on glass, wipe it off and prop 
up one end of glass to allow circulation 
of air during the day while sun shines. A 
minimum temperature of 50 degrees at 
night and 75 degrees during the day give 
best results. At no time shouid soil be 
allowed to dry out. Transplant seedlings 
to other flats when they get their second 
set of ieaves, setting them at least two 
inches apart, or they may be placed in 
small pots or in a border or seed bed out¬ 
doors. 
The following perennial seeds require "D" culture 
Arenaria Edeiweiss 
Armeria Heliopsis 
Doronicum Wallflower 
E Sow in cold frame or hot bed in 
April or May. It is recommended 
that seed be sown in flats, which 
are placed in the frame. If hot beds 
are heated with manure, do not sow seeds 
until temperature of newly made bed 
has dropped to 90 degrees. It is important 
that watering and ventilation be closeiy 
watched. On sunny days in spring al¬ 
ways keep one end of sash open to pre¬ 
vent overheating which would cause 
spindly growth. Soil should never be al¬ 
lowed to dry out. Transplant seedlings to 
other flats when they have made their 
second set of ieaves. Plant two inches 
apart each way. They may also be trans¬ 
planted to soil in hot bed or in open 
ground if not too early in season. 
The following perennial seeds require “E" culture 
if not started indoors as in culture“D” 
Arenaria Edelweiss 
Armeria Heliopsis 
Doronicum Wallflower 
Good Seeds Carefully 
Handled Make Good Gardens. 
Templin-Bradley Seeds 
are good seeds. 
F Sow seed thinly in cold frame or 
flat or florists’ pot outdoors in 
April after frost danger is past and 
any time up to August or September 1st. 
Use soil as described in culture “D.’’ 
Broadcast seed which cover about four 
times its diameter and press in with edge 
of board. Place in cool, shaded location 
and keep soil moist. After germination 
supply bottom moisture and when 
seedlings get second or third set of 
leaves, transplant to more room. When 
they reach height of five or six inches and 
develop a fair root system, transplant to 
permanent place. The problem with seed 
started in mid-summer is that weather 
is usually so hot and dry and moisture 
supplied evaporates so rapidly, it is 
difficult to get good germination and 
quick growth. If you have a cool, moist 
spot to start seed or you provide means of 
gentle sprinkling and shading, you will 
be safe in starting then. Cloth or news¬ 
paper over the receptacle until plants 
appear, holds moisture and prevents 
baking. Plants of seeds sown in late sum¬ 
mer really should be carried over first 
winter in cold frame for proper protec¬ 
tion. 
All perennial seed not listed under 
“C,’’ “D,’’ or “E’’ requires “F’’ culture. 
THE HOT-BED 
A hot-bed is really a miniature green¬ 
house and will enable you to start some 
plants from six weeks to two months 
earlier than otherwise. The cut below 
will give you quite a ciear idea of the con¬ 
struction. 
Showing the construction of a small hot-bed. 
COLD FRAMES 
One fine place to build a cold frame is 
right against a basement window of the 
house. Build it without a back and so 
arranged that the window can be opened 
to let heat from the basement get in. 
A cold frame against a basement window. 
