Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-21
PANsIEs FOR SPRING BLOSSOMS

August 10 Tic AOA PAohbAh5
pansy stock, winter blooming sweet
peas, cosmos coreopsis, phlox, etc. We
are indebted to the Garden Magazine
for an article written by an expert
pansy grower. While written for east
ern conditions, much of it is sugges-
tive for California.
If you want to have pansies bloom
ing early next spring, you must SOW
the seed now-in August. There is no
other way unless you rely on cuttings,
but that is troublesome. There is no
other early spring flower that gives
such an abundance of bloom, such a
blaze of color and such a variety of
hues. For bedding pansies are un-
equaled and for cut flowers used in
flat dishes are not to be despiSed. l
have made a hobby of growing pansies
now for nearly forty years, and have
tried every known strain and type,
and 1 tell you that any one can grow
pansies if he will. They are among
the simplest of all garden plants and
quite hardy. Buy highly bred inn
ported seeds by preference, if you want
the best flowers true to type. the
reason why homegrown seed is not
equal to the imported is this: The
best seed. is produced from the crown
flowers or first perfect blossoms. IN
our climates the seed pod formed from
the crown blossom bursts before the
seed has had time to properly cevelop
Success in pansy culture depends to
a large extent upon the way the seed
lings have been treated in the seed
bed For one ounce of seed make a
frame twelve feet long, six feet wide,
and ten inches deep, and for every 1000
seeds allot a space of 3x3 feet Select
a sunny position, provide good drain
age and make the surface of the SEED
bed five inches above the surrounding
surface Avoid fresh manure, using
new soil mixed with a rich compost.
The very best is decayed turf from
a sandy loan. Rake fine and level.
Soak the bed with boiling water so as
to kill all insects, worms and weeds,
allow the surface to dry, and rake
over fine.
Sow the seeds on the surface from
July 10 to August %. Cover them
with sand to a depth of one-eighth
inch and dust over the surface of the
sand four ounces of powdered sulphur
to every seventy-tWo square feet, or
half an ounce for the 3x3 feet space.
The sulphur will prevent mildew dur
ing the five or six days of dark COW
ering and will prevent the seedlings
from damping off. Press lightly and
give the surface a light watering of
cold water. Cover the bed, making it
totally dark and waterproof, and do
not water again until the seeds come.
up.
In five or six days, or as soon as the
plants commence to break through the
soil, remove the dark covering. Then
cover the bed with two thicknesses OF
black cotton mosquito netting, using
poultry netting for support. This is
done to make the seed bed insect
proof, and to furnish shade; and, in
case of heavy rain will protect the
tender seedlings
Water daily through the netting,
but do not remove it until the seed
lings are large enough to transplant
that is, from five to six weeks after
sowing, or as soon as they have made
two perfect leaves. Transplant to rich
soil, using we'll decayed manure. Put
the plants AKA inches for commercial
purposes, for garden growth 6x6 inches,
and for exhibition blooms 8XS inches.
Pansies are perfectly hardy and
can be wintered in frames covered with
cotton cloth on a poultry netting sup
port It is a waste of time and money
to SOW pansy seeds in the spring. The
best blossoming period in violet
house is from December to March,
and in frames or in beds, March, April,
May and June. After July the plants
have lost all their beauty and should
be dug up Pansies that are intended
for winter forcing should be disbudded
and not allowed to blossom until De-
cember 1. and during the blossom
ing period should be fed with liquid