FURROW MADE BY 
PRESSING LATH 
ONTO PEAT,, 
CAPILLARITY 
INDUCED BY 
COMPACTED 
PEAT ANPSOIL. 
STERILIZED LOAM NEUTRAL PEAT, 
THOROUGHLY SOAKED] |SCREENEDAN?STERILIZED 
SECTION THROUGH 
PART OF END OF FLAT... 
Sterilizing soil in an oven—at least 200° for 
45 minutes is simple—eliminates weeds, im- 
proves physical texture of the soil and of 
course kills insect and disease organisms. 
Tips on Seed Sowing 
While many seeds may be satisfactorily sown in 
the open ground, much better results are usually ob- 
tained with seeds the size of Snapdragons or smaller 
if the sowing is done in pans, ‘’flats’’ or other suitable 
containers. Among the most important points are: 
1. Clean soil, which means soil free of weed seeds 
and harmful bacteria or fungi. Florists sterilize 
their soil with steam, but the same purpose may 
be accomplished by heating it in a dishpan in an 
oven for about 45 minutes at 200-250°. Soil 
should be moist but not wet. 
2. Uniform moisture; to let your seed flat dry out . os - 
while seeds are germinating can easily kill the 
sensitive germ. 
3. Good ventilation; a mild air circulation imme- 
diately after germination, but not a windy spot. 
4. Proper temperature; most annuals sprout best 
in a uniformly maintained temperature of 60-70° 
—lower after seedlings are 1/2 inch tall. 
iwr. Veber, a ficrist customer of ours 
from Royal Oak, Michigan demon- 
strates what happens when seed is 
sown too deep. The right hand corner 
of this fiat of peppers was sown to a 
depth of 1% inch. The balance of the 
flat, sown Yg-14, inch deep, germi- 
nated beautifully. The deep sown seed 
never did grow—rotted out because 
of poor aeration. 
For our own germination we get best results by 
filling our flats half way with loam (see illustration) 
which is thoroughly soaked until muddy. The flat is then filled with screened and moist- 
ened neutral peat, or fine grade Vermiculite, leveled off with a board but not packed 
down. Rows | 2 inches apart are then made by pressing the edge of a lath 1% inch into 
the surface. Seed is sown thinly in these rows and no soil covering added if seeds are 
small. ‘’Misting’’ with a fine spray after sowing completes the job. Flats or pans may 
be covered with a newspaper, but seedlings must be exposed to light immediately after 
germination. If Vermiculite is used it will be necessary to add nutrients after the seeds 
have germinated. Any liquid plant food used according to directions will be satisfactory. 
Larger seeds may be sown direct in the open ground if the seed bed is thoroughly pre- 
pared and well pulverized. Organic matter in the form of well-rotted manure or neutral 
peat should be added if the soil is ‘’tight’’ or tends to pack. 
An additional word about germination. Recently a Government agency in New 
York State tested a large number of flower seed packets available in retail displays 
and by mail. 25% of those tested were unsatisfactory in germination. 
We have been selling flower seeds to florists for nearly 50 years. Florists make a 
living from the seed we supply them. We supply only fresh seed of highest possible 
germination from our own production or from other reliable sources. All our seed is 
tested several times during the selling season to insure continued vitality. 
The percentage of germination of the latest test, complete cultural information, and 
the approximate number of seeds are found on each packet offered in SEEDcraft. 
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