448 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



matter what is the time of year. They like a little warmth and slight sun- 

 shine. Their season is from December till March. I run a large stock of 

 winter flowers from seedlings in this wise : Chrysanthemums in November, 

 Chinese primroses in December and January, cyclamens in January and Feb- 

 ruary, cinerarias in February and March, and calceolarias in March, April 

 and May. 



Clianthus Dampieri. — Easily raised from seed but uncertain afterwards. 

 Brilliant, magnificent flowers freely borne on plants four to six months old, 

 but the plants are impatient of wet and transplanting, and often die off 

 unaccountably. 



Freesias. — Cape of Good Hope bulbs readily raised from seed ; seedlings a 

 year old are blooming plants, but are stronger and more profuse when older. 



Gloxinias. — From seeds sown in winter or early spring I get strong bloom- 

 ing plants in midsummer. I raise them in a warm, moist house, pick off 

 and box off as they advance in growth, till the end of May or June, when I 

 plant them out in frames — their blooming quarters. 



Impatiens Sultani. — One of the brightest, most copious and ever-blooming 

 plants I know. I raise from seed in spring rather than winter a lot of old 

 plants, because I want them for summer show; were winter display my aim, 

 then I'd raise young plants in July or August. 



Leptosyne Maritima. An elegant, succulent composite from California, 

 with large, bright yellow, sun-flower-like blossoms; beautiful for indoor 

 winter work. I raise it from seeds sown four months before I want it to 

 bloom. It loves a light, sunny place. 



Smilax. — I raise it from seed sown in spring, or, in fact, any time. It 

 takes some weeks to come up if kept cool, but every seed will grow. 



In addition to the above common plants there are many others we can 

 raise from seeds, some for indoor use only, and others for partly indoor and 

 partly outdoor service. Among thest are ageratums, cannas, cassias, cobgeas, 

 erythrina, Hardenbergia, humea, lantana, lobelia, mandevillea, incarvellia, 

 stevia, passion flowers, tacsonias, salvias, clerodendrons, Lobb's tropaeolums, 

 and many more. 



Shrubs for Windows — Josiah Hoopes says that a commendable practice 

 sDine years ago for supplying decorative plants for the window was to take 

 up and pot a few hardy early blooming shrubs. These were generally pre- 

 served cool until at such times as they might be needed, when they were re- 

 moved to a sunny window in a living-room, and soon the flowers put in an 

 appearance. Young plants, say two years old, are best for the purpose, se- 

 lecting such as are short and bushy. Any good light turfy soil will ans-wer, 

 never overlooking the matter of drainage, however. A selected list for the 

 purpose might be made up as follows: Spircea reevesii, and its double 

 form; S. prunifolia; S. Thunbergi; Weigela rosea and its new variety, W. 

 Candida; Deutzia gracilis; Forsythia viridissima, and Persian lilac. A few 

 hardy perennial plants are equally suitable for the same purpose, as: Astilbe 

 or Spircea japonica, Dicentra spectabilis, Saxifraga crassifolia, lily of the 

 valley, dog-tooth violets, etc. Sweet scented violets are fine for forcing, 

 but dislike heat and a dry atmosphere. 



The Amaryllis. — A writer in the Work Basket gives hints based upon 

 her experience that will, she says, insure success : We will suppose that 



