THE FLORAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 9 



thing valuable to the reader to be gleaned from either side. AVith 

 this impression, I will simply detail my system of culture, commencing 

 with the rearing of the tender seedlings. Pirst, I would say that 

 seedsmen are often undeservingly condemned for vending old or in- 

 difiereut seed because the grower has failed to vegetate it. The 

 complaint is not uncommon, but I fear that if it was investigated, 

 the result would be that in many instances it was not the lack of 

 vitality in the seed, but inattention on the part of the cultivator to 

 simple rules both at the time of sowing and the interval that must 

 elapse up to the period of the seeds vegetating. Some of the seed 

 catalogues annually repeat the best of advice as to the mode of rear- 

 ing the young seedlings, yet people who have such catalogues to 

 refer to frequently fail. 



In preparing the earth for sowing,-, let the pots or pans have 

 plenty of drainage, and in filling them with soil allow an inch or 

 more from the brim of the pot to remain unfilled ; the surface of the 

 soil should not be too fine nor yet too coarse. Give the soil a good 

 soaking before you sow the seeds, after which let it remain for a few 

 hours, when it will be sufficiently settled to permit you to stir the 

 surface with a pointed stick. Then scatter the seeds over the whole, 

 and let the same have a slight covering of silver sand. The great 

 evil to avoid is depositing the seed too deep in the earth. Another 

 essential is to endeavour to maintain the earth containing the seed 

 in a constantly moist state, without having to supply it repeatedly 

 with water. The best way to do this is to tie paper or any similar 

 material over the pot, somewhat after the fashion the cook does with 

 the preserving jars or in roasting a fowl. They should then be placed 

 in a shady part of the house or frame. That you may assist in keep- 

 ing the earth moist, occasionally pour water on the covering in such a 

 way that it will gradually penetrate through. Directly the seed 

 shows signs of vegetating, remove the covering, or the seedlings will 

 quickly be so lanky and weak as to be worthless ; in fact, in such a 

 state great numbers of them will die off. Still, let them be shaded 

 from the sun's rays although exposed to the influence of the light. In 

 the earlier stages of tlieir growth they require much care to prevent 

 them damping off; my method of watering them while they are aa 

 yet in their seed pots or pans may be considered novel, and that is 

 to dip my hand into a can of water and then allow it gently to drip 

 from my fingers among the young seedlings. It quite repays, you to 

 practise this little piece of coddling till they become strong enough 

 to bear watering in the usual way. When you consider they are 

 ready for the purpose, prick them out singly into thumb-pots ; after 

 which place them in a box-frame or any similar construction, let 

 them be kept shaded from the sun's rays, keeping them rather close, 

 and affording them very little air. Here I would observe that 

 nothing is gained by sowing your seed too early ; because, as a rule, 

 the plants do not commence growing till the middle of July, and then 

 it behoves you to give them all the encouragement you possibly can, 

 as from that time till the latter end of October, they will grow very 

 fast. If they begin to throw up flower-stalks before they have 

 completed their growth, pinch them out. The most suitable sized 



