THE FLORAL WORLD AND GiRDEN GUIDE. 45 



the attractiveuesa of the garden. They succeed very well in shrub- 

 bery borders if kept well to the front, and a moderate quantity of 

 well-rotted manure turned in where each plant is put. In com- 

 mencing their culture, the proper course will be to procure from 

 a nursery that can be depended upon for supplying the sorts true to 

 name, two or three dozen old-established varieties. These will cost 

 about eighteen shillings per dozen ; and in two or three years a 

 large stock may be worked up, by means of cuttings and seed. If 

 it is felt that the cost of the plants is too lieavy, a good becrinninw 

 may be made by raising a stock from seed. Provided the seed is 

 obtained from a good source, a considerable number of really excel- 

 lent varieties may be obtained from a packet of seed. Indeed some 

 varieties are reproduced quite true from seed, especiallv when the 

 flowers have not been fertilized with the pollen from flowers of a 

 different colour or inferior character. Cheap seed is practically 

 worthless, for it invariably produces plants with single or semi- 

 double flowers. This is explained by the fact that the semi-double 

 flowers produce a much larger quantity of seed than perfectly 

 double flowers ; and the cheap seed is of necessity saved from them. 

 As indicative of the value of good seed, I will just mention that in 

 the catalogue of one of the principal growers of this flower, collec- 

 tions of twelve packets, saved from the finest flowers, are offered 

 at lOs., and large packets of mixed seed at 5s. ; second quality seed 

 is about one-third cheaper. 



Plants raised from seed sown early in February invariably flower 

 the first season, and make a CJipital display of colour in the autumn. 

 It is necessary to sow the seed in pots in the first or second week 

 in February, and then partly plunge the pots in a brisk hotbed, for 

 the purpose of assisting the seed to germinate quickly. The plants 

 will not be long before they make their appearance above the sur- 

 face ; and as soon as they have made one rough leaf, draw the pots 

 out of the bed to bring the plants nearer the glass. In about a 

 fortnight afterwards, pot them ofl" separately into small sixties, and 

 return them to the hotbed, and there allow them to remain until 

 they are nicely established, which will be as soon as the roots beo-in 

 to run round the outside of the ball of soil. From the hotbed 

 remove them to a warm, frame, and keep rather close for about ten 

 days afterwards. Then commence to admit air more freely, but the 

 plants must not be exposed too fully, for it is necessary to keep the 

 temperature sufficiently high to maintain a steady growth ; and to 

 guard against their being drawn, keep them near the glass. They 

 must not be allowed to become potbound, and immediately the pots 

 are well filled with roots, shift them into five-inch pots, and as soon 

 as they are established, commence to harden them off", preparatory 

 to their being planted in the border towards the end of April. If a 

 hotbed cannot be commanded, sow the seed in March, in a cold frame; 

 pot off separately, and plant out as soon as the pots are well filled 

 with roots, instead of shifting into larger pots. These will not 

 flower the same year, but they will become well established, and 

 produce fine spikes the following season. 



The months of March and April are the most suitable for putting 



February, 



