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General Requirements (For germination-heat moisture)

For germination-heat, moisture, oxygen and a finely pulverized soil covering the seed to the proper depth and one that does not bake or form too hard a crust for the delicate little seedlings to penetrate. Shading is desirable because it keeps the soil from drying out so quickly; it also assists germination as seeds sprout sooner in the dark. Avoid crowding and too much moisture. As soon as the seedlings are large enough they must be transplanted; too much moisture will rot the seeds before they germinate, and later will cause the "damping off" fungus which also comes from overcrowding in the seed bed from lack of transplanting. As soon as the seedlings germinate they must have plenty of light and air and enough water to keep them from drying out. Excessive heat and moisture will cause a spindly growth. In the greenhouse a temperature of 60°F. to 70°F. will be about right.

Some fresh air must be given every day after the sun has warmed the atmosphere. Water each morning so that the plants will go to sleep dry. This is espe- [13] cially important with seedlings grown under glass.

Watering temporarily lowers the temperature, so ventilation on cool mornings should not be given until later-about 11 o'clock. The length of time will depend upon the weather.

With the exception of a few annuals that transplant poorly, the seedlings should be transplanted, as soon as they develop their true leaves, into flats, pots, frames, greenhouse benches or in the garden, so that they will stand from two to twelve inches apart depending upon the habit of growth of the plant and the space that is available. Directly after transplanting sprinkle the tops and surface soil with water and give the seedlings some shade. In the greenhouse newspapers can be thrown over them and in frames the sash can be covered with burlap, matting, or lath screens. When planting in the open it is usually not practical to improvise any shading since it is only necessary for a few days. In this case it is well to do the transplanting on a moist, cloudy day, or in the late afternoon when the sun is not very strong, and the coming night will give the seedlings several hours in which to partially recuperate from the shock of transplanting. Annuals grown under glass are tender and cannot be transferred to the garden until the weather is settled and warm. In this locality outdoor planting of annuals is done from May [14]