The Weekly Florists' Review. 



279 



to a certain extent stagnant on account 

 of the thick texture of the paper inter- 

 fering with the free admission of air. 

 If this condition is present while the 

 very copious secretion is over the large 

 stigma, some of the pollen grains decay, 

 and the result is that a moldy growth 

 will occur over the entire pollinated sur- 

 face. Light gauze or cheese-cloth bags 

 will be found excellent substitutes for 

 paper hags. There is little probability 

 of pollen grains being carried about by 

 a movement of the atmosphere or the vis- 

 itation of insects, but it is better to 

 guard against the danger of undesirable 

 pollen gaining access to the stigma. 



In all the varieties the seed vessels 

 take from eight to ten weeks to reach 

 maturity. This is indicated by a change 

 of color from pea-green to a light straw- 

 colored hue, at first near the apex, then 

 gradually extending toward the base. 

 When the basal part changes its color 

 the seeds are ripe. The seed vessel a I 

 this stage begins to dehisce, starting at 

 the apex and splitting into three parts, 

 each part containing two rows of seed 

 closely arranged lengthwise. When the 

 vessels begin to open they should be 

 gathered and kept in an uncovered re- 

 ceptacle until most of the moisture in 

 the walls of the seed vessel has evap- 

 orated. In a day or two the seeds musi 

 be removed from the capsules. They arc 

 then damp to the touch and should noi 

 be excluded from the air while in this 

 state, as there is danger of their becom- 

 ing moldy. They should be spread out 

 on trays for a day or so to dry. After- 

 wards they can be kept in jars until 

 wanted for sowing. 



Sowing the Seed. 



In places having a similar winter cli- 

 mate to that of the Bermudas, or where 

 the minimum temperature docs not fall 

 below 4."i degrees F., the seedlings may 

 be raised out of doors without the aid of 

 greenhouse structures, but with the pro- 

 tection of sash throughout the germinat- 

 ing period and until the plants have 

 made the first three or four leaves. 



The plants can be brought to this stage 

 by the beginning of September and 

 transferred to convenient distances 

 apart in beds, where they will make rap- 

 id growth. The seeds should be sown in 

 beds in rows from five to six feel wide. 

 To have the s..il in which the seed i- to 



a steady growth, there should be at least 

 three inches of stable litter and leaves 

 placed in the bottom of the bed. Loamy 

 soil, mixed with one-third vegetable hu- 

 mus, should be placed over the litter to 

 a depth of at least ~ix in. lies. This 



should be well tinned and raked - th. 



The seed should be sown quite thickly, 

 as the seedlings have small, narrow 

 leaves and occupy but little space until 

 they are ready for pricking off. 



After the surface of the seed bed has 

 been raked quite smooth the seeds -In. old 

 be sown evenly over the bed, from six 

 to ten to each square inch of surface, ac- 

 cording to the quality of the seed. The 

 seeds can be pressed' into the soil with 

 the back part of a spade or a smooth 

 piece of board and covered with one half 

 inch of sifted and sterilized -oil com- 

 posed of loam and leaf soil in equal 

 parts. The soil, if sterilized, will pre- 

 vent the disturbance of the surface in 

 removing weeds. The surface should be 

 pressed moderately firm and watered 

 with a fine sprinkler only when the. soil 

 appears to be on the dry side. The sur- 

 face of the bed can be kept in excellent 



Gigantic Pyramidal Bay Trees at Sitbrecht & Son 



condition lot successful gei initiation by 

 covering it with an inch of sphagnum 

 moss, which should be sprinkled occa- 

 sionally, and tin- soil should bo exam- 

 ined frequently to ascertain its condi- 



The seeds require a considerable time 

 in the ground before the first leaf ap- 

 peals above the surface. Therefore, to 



be able I 



ture of I 



With r 



ie seeds -] Id 



ing the month 

 this period the 

 lir size during 

 all the better 

 lower tempera- 



lo raising seedlings in the 

 middle and northern states, there is 

 little probability of success unless the 

 seed i- sown, s;,y. during the month of 

 January indoors and the seedlings are 

 transplanted to outdoor beds as soon as 

 I lie weather permits. For experiments 

 of this nature the seeds would necessar- 

 ily have to be of the previous season's 

 crop, and in order to have them ripen 

 bile, -o thai as short a time as possible 

 would elapse Itetween ripening and sow- 

 ing, the seed-hearing plants should be 

 grown outdoors. 



Picking Off the Seedlings. 



The seedlings will bear pricking off as 

 so. m as the .seed leaves reach full size. 

 Nothing is gained, howevej by under- 

 taking the operation at this earl} stagi . 

 It is more easily accomplished aftei ilie 

 plantlets have made two m three eaves. 

 They should be transferred to beds sim- 

 ilar in size to those in which the seeds 

 were sown and at a distance of from two 

 to three inches apart. The work of 

 pricking off can be very rapidly done, 

 and wholly with the lingers or without 

 the aid of a dibble. The protection of 

 shaded sash may be given i-r the first 

 few days if found necessary. Winn the 



si^e as to be in danger of crowding each 

 other they should be removed to the field 

 beds. It may be stated that the plants, 

 even in their younger stages, are not 

 at all impatient of removal. 



PHILADELPHIA. 



The Market. 

 The cut flower market is dull and in- 

 active. ' There is a light demand. chiefly 

 for stock suitable for funeral work. The 

 quantity of flowers coming into town 

 continues large. Yen many are wasted. 

 Especially is this true of sweet peas after 

 a day of sunshine. Outdoor flowers are 

 plentiful. So are roses of pretty fair 

 quality. Asters and dahlias have made 

 their appearance, rather short in stem 

 as yet. but giving a pleasant variety. E. 



Bernheimer i- i. iving both, and also 



some flowers of the Balduin rose, rarely 

 seen here. 



