CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
It is a very satisfactory plan to make several sowings 
of seeds, so the Pansies will be at their best at different times. 
In most climates best results are obtained by planting 
Pansy seed in late July, 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 pro- 
fusely all summer, but will produce their largest blooms in 
the fall or during a cool rainy spell in summer if there is one. 
Prepare a cold-frame or seed-boxes or flats for the seed, 
using good soil, slightly fertilized. If available, mix 1% leaf 
mold or peat moss with the soil. Sift the soil for the top 14 
inch and use no fertilizer in that. Sow the seed thinly, broad- 
casting it. Sift just enough soil over the seed to BARELY 
cover it. Sift a thin layer of peat moss over this to help 
retain the moisture. Firm the soil by pressing with a flat 
board before sprinkling. Cover with a cloth or lath frame until 
the seed has germinated well. Sprinkle twice a day or often 
enough so that the seed NEVER dries out. Seed should 
germinate in from seven to ten days in spring or summer. 
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. Frames are also a pro- 
tection from heavy storms. 
Transplant when the seedlings have four or more leaves 
it 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 likely to be extremely severe. In such places 
they may need the protection of a cold frame but Pansies will stand 
even some zero weather if protected by straw or peat moss placed 
around the plants. Pansies that weather it through the winter out in 
the open will make the sturdiest plants and produce the Foustagie tinest 
blooms in the early spring. 
Pansies that are transplanted in the spring for summer bloaming 
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 culti- 
vation is used. If plants are to remain all summer, they should be 
set about fifteen inches 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 commercial fertilizers. It 
is a good plan to enrich the soil well, several weeks before time to 
transplant the seedlings. 
In cultivating, leave the bed flat. Some people have a tendency 
to cultivate, raking the soil away from the plant so that each plant 
is left sitting on a little mound and this is likely to leave the side 
roots exposed. Rake the soil toward the plants; not away trom them. 
Always cultivate after each irrigation as soon as the soil is in good 
workable condition. The 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 
