Evening star., 1938-03-12
Difficulties
In Starting
Seedlings
Satisfactory Way
To Prevent Any
"Damping.Of."

BY MRS. BURTON E. LIVINGSTON,
Chairman on Horticulture of the Federated
Garden Clubs OF Maryland.
ONE of the greatest difficulties en-.
countered in starting seedlings in
doors in boxes or pots is the "damping-
off, disease. The fungi that cause
this disease are plentiful in many soils
subsisting on decaying organic matter
and they grow vigorously when the soil
Is warm and moist enough for rapid
seed termination and seeding growth
They attack the young seedlings neal
the soil surface and kill the stems in
that region. All seedlings thus injured
promptly fall PROSTATE and soon sue
cumb completely. 'Damping- may
be avoided by using sterilized soil,
but that is troublesome and recontami-
nation is likely to occur at any time
Sprinkling the seed bed with sulphur
is sometimes recommended, but that
treatment is not wholly effective to
prevent fungus growth and it may
result in direct injury to the plants.
A very simple and at the same time
very satisfactory method for prevent
ing "damping off" in pots of seedlings
has recently been developed by DR..
A. A. Dunlap of the Connecticut Agri-
cultural Experiment Station. He uses
a medium fine sharp sand similar to
that employed in mixing concrete for
pavements. Excellent results were OBJ
tained with an almost pure quartz
sand. However, the essential require
ment is that the material must be
practically inSoluble in water and the
color of the sand seems to be unim-
portant.
IT is generally desirable to wash
natural sands thoroughly, since
they commonly contain some organic
matter that may be largely removed
in that way. In washing the sand is
stirred vigorously with an abundance
Of water, most of the water being then
poured off. and this treatment is re-
peated until the waste water comes
away almost clear The wet sand may
be placed Immediately in the pots
ready for the seeds, but some of it
should be spread out and allowed to
become nearly dry, for later use in
covering the seeds after they have
been soWn.
1t is essential that the pots should
be thoroughly water-proofed inside
and out, as by means of two or more
coats of spar varnish. Ordinary 7-inch
flower pots, about inches deep and 7
inches in diameter at the top, have
proved satisfactory. A piece of muslin
may be placed over the hole in the
bottom of the pot After the sand has
been introduced. tamped and leveled
It should fill the pot to within about
one-half inch of the rim. The seeds
are scattered over the sand surface
and covered with layer of dried sand
about one-quarter inch thick. Large
seeds may be pressed little into the
sand surface before covering. The
planted pots are placed in a tray or
pan with water one-half inch deep.
A tight wooden box about an inch
deep. thoroughly coated on the inside
with melted paraffin, makes a good
tray About one-haf pint of water is
gently sprinkled on each pot, as with a
rubber-bulb sprinkler, to wet the sand
thoroughly at the start. Glass covers
are not desirable, but the pots may be
covered with cheesecloth until the
seedlings appear above the sand.
Water is added to the tray from day
to day so as to maintain the water
level, but no water is added directly
to the sand excepting when fertilizing
as described below.
WHEN the first true leaves begin to
enlarge, each pot receives its first
application of mineral nutrients, and
additional applications are made at
fortnightly intervals. At each applica-
ton about q gill of nutrient solution
Is sprinkled on each pot and that is
Immediately followed by a sprinkling
Of water, about one-haf gill per pot
to wash the salts down into the sand
A satisfactory solution may be pre-
pared by placing in each quart Of
water two teaspoonsful Of CONNER.
cial potassium nitrate (saltpeter, moi
Chile saltpeter) and also one-hal1
teaspoonful of superphosphate (main.
ly calcium acid phosphate). stirring OF
shaking the mixture vigorously for q
few minutes. Instead of these two
salts. one may use for each quart o1
water two teaspoonfuls of q prepared