396 FLORA HISTORIC A. 



fine plants is to sow the seed in the beginning 

 of April, upon a moderately hot bed, and when 

 the plants are come up, they should have suffi- 

 cient air to prevent their being drawn up weakly. 

 When they are about three inches high, they 

 should be transplanted on a second bed, very 

 moderately heated, covering them over with mats 

 to screen them from the sun and the winds, until 

 they have acquired strength, observing to give 

 them water in dry seasons. In May they will 

 be ready for removal into the parterre, and in 

 doing this they should be taken up with a ball 

 of earth about the roots, so as to check the 

 growth as little as possible; should the earth 

 be dry at this time, it would be desirable to 

 water the bed about an hour before the young 

 plants are removed, so as to make the soil 

 adhere. 



It is desirable to have a considerable number 

 of these plants as well as China Asters in pots, 

 as a reserve to be plunged into any part of the 

 grounds that may be deficient of autumnal flowers. 



The seed of the Tagetes should be collected 

 not only from the finest plants, but from the 

 centre flowers of the principal stems only. The 

 varieties of the African Marygold are very sub- 

 ject to change ; so that unless the seeds are pro- 



