i44° The Cornell Reading-Courses 



winter is necessary. In spring the plants should be transplanted to beds 

 or borders.where they will bloom early. The pansy may also be produced 

 for somewhat early blooming by growing the plants in hotbeds from seed 

 sown early in the spring, and transplanting later to the open ground. 

 The average height of the pansy is about 4 inches. It is hardy. 



There are many strains of pansies, some of the best being English Fancy, 

 Scotch Prize, Parisian, Trimardeau (or Giant), and Large-Flowered. In 

 these strains are blooms of many different colors, either solid or variegated. 



Petunia 

 The petunia should be started in February or March in the hotbed and 

 later transplanted to the garden. The seeds of petunia are very small 



Fig. 47. — yl plain farm home, but a pleasant place in which to live. The broad, 

 open lawn adds greatly to the appearance and comfort of the place 



and it is almost impossible to sow them shallow enough to insure their 

 germinating. This is the chief reason why they should be started in the 

 h<»1 bed. Also, the plants are very tender, and it is therefore not advisable 

 to sow the seed in the garden until all danger of frost is past, generally in 

 May or June. The seed may be sown { inch deep or less, in rows 12 inches 

 apart; the plants should be thinned later so as to stand 12 inches apart 

 in the vow. The average height of the plant is 12 inches. The blooms 

 are continuous from June until the plants are killed by frost. 



Petunias arc effective in borders and beds and for cut flowers. 



The hybrida large-flowered are desirable kinds of petunias, such as 

 the Alba, Purple King, Fimbriata, Prize, and others. 



