SOMETHING OF INTEREST 
In our past several catalogues, we have told you about raising 
seeds in bands in the greenhouse, of moving the bands out to cold 
frames, and have reported the results. 
That’s all very nice from someone with a greenhouse, where the 
mess and dirt can be handled without any trouble, but it is far from 
practical in the home. 
We tried something new last year and it proved so good that we 
want to tell you about it. It has always been our idea that if one 
could have a longer growing season for seeds, that you would get 
larger bulbs. The larger the bulb you get, the more chance you have 
of seeing it bloom the next year. It takes twenty-one days for glad- 
iolus seed to germinate, and even the savings of three weeks would 
give a much longer growing season. How often have you had a nice 
spring day, with the ground too wet to work, one of those warm balmy 
days when you get the itch to get out in the garden. Now you can 
satisfy that urge without getting in trouble with your wife, over 
getting everything dirty in the house. 
The answer is some small pressed wood pulp trays, 742x51%2x2%”. 
Approximately 42” of growing space. Light, easy to handle, enough 
drainage to avoid trouble, made of a non-toxic material, and best of 
all, at a nominal cost. 
Now, don’t laugh at this, for it is very practical, and it will work 
far better than you could hope for. 
Each tray is filled with dirt up to 34” from the top. The dirt is 
watered to settle it, and then the seed is planted on top of the dirt. 
The remaining 34” is filled with sand. 
Just why sand produces better results is something for the pro- 
fessional to tell us, but it does. We tried putting dirt, virmiculite, 
and peat on top, but the sand covering produced far better and more 
bulbs. Plant your seed about like you would outside; we tried some 
an inch apart, some closer and some farther apart, and the results 
were about the same from all spacings. 
So now, you can plant all your seed some evening, or on one of 
those days when it is too wet to work outside. Keep in a warm place 
and then when you get a break in the weather, and your other planting 
time is free, move the trays out to the garden. Sink them into the soil, 
level with the edge of the tray. You haven’t disturbed your seeds 
and you have gained three to six weeks time. From there on, your 
results are the same as from seed direct planted, with the added 
advantage of the time saved. 
The results will surprise you. The roots will have penetrated the 
tray, and even some of the bulbs will have grown through. To dig, 
simply push of fork under the tray, lift it with a little extra dirt and 
you have the entire cross in your hand. Lots easier than digging each 
seedling up separately as you will dig ten to fifty at one time. Size— 
again you will be surprised, quite a few threes and fours, lots of 
fives and sixes. In ordinary field growth in our climate, we seldom get 
more than a five and only a few of those, so to us, the added growing 
time has helped very much. We use sterilized soil, and get away from 
the weed problem to a large extent, but you will find that even 
weeding seems to be easier with the tray method. 
Quite interesting and worthy of a trial. If you are interested in 
securing some of these trays, see our special offer under “Glad Seeds”, 
on Page 55. 
poe 2 sees 
