200 



HORTICULTURE 



February 16, 1907 



SEED SOWING. 



There are so many kinds of plants 

 that can be raised from seeds sown at 

 this time of the year that to some at 

 least the methods adopted with suc- 

 cess in the work of sowing and tlie 

 preparations incident thereto may be 

 of considerable interest if not in a 

 measure helpful. 



The first consideration is the pro- 

 curing of seed of the best strains and 

 varieties from reliable dealers whose 

 reputations are a very fair guarantee, 

 despite any disclaimers to the con- 

 trary, that what is purchased will turn 

 out to be just what it was represented 

 to be. 



After the seed comes to hand and 

 when the proper time comes (which 

 for a great many things is the pres- 

 ent) immediate preparations should 

 be made for sowing. Seeds of the 

 greater number of bedding plants 

 should be sown in shallow flats or 

 seed pans about 3 1-2 inches in depth. 

 Drainage should be provided by first 

 placing over the holes or spaces be- 

 tween the boards in the bottom, pieces 

 of broken pots, and over them a 

 layer of whole sod, well rotted, but 

 wholly adhesive; then fill to within 

 an inch of the top with good free soil, 

 suitable for most seeds if composed of 

 fibrous loam with a good sprinkling 

 of leaf mould and sand unsifted. Over 

 this place a thin layer of finely sifted 

 soil of much the same nature as of 

 which the main part is composed. It 

 is very important that this last layer 

 be made perfectly level in order that 

 when water is applied, the fine seeds 

 will not be washed to one side. Sow 

 all seeds evenly over the surface and 

 seeds that are of a gritty nature and 

 moderately large as well as the larger 

 seeds, ought to be covered with fine 

 soil, but before doing that, press them 

 down to bed in the soil with a clean 

 board. Very fine seeds such as be- 

 gonia and calceolarias, should not be 

 covered with soil only pressed on the 

 surface. When the sowing is satis- 

 factorily done a careful watering 

 will be in order with a watering pot 

 with a very fine rose attached, after 

 •which, place squares of glass over the 

 flats or pans, and put these in a warm 

 part of a house where a gentle bottom 

 heat is available. Very little water 

 will be required for most kinds of 

 seeds until they germinate, but the soil 

 should never be allowed to get dust 



dry. , 



When the seedlings have appeared 

 well over the surface, the flats or pans 

 should be removed to where they can 

 get full light and sufficient air. The 

 best way is to place them on a shelf 

 near the glass, but always taking care 

 that at first they will not be suddenly 

 subjected to draughts of cold air, 

 otherwise they will very likely depart 

 this lite when only on the threshold 

 of it. 



After the seedlings are thus gradu- 

 ally exposed to sun and air and they 

 have attained a size fitting them to be 

 conveniently handled, it will be neces- 

 sary them to prick them off into other 

 flats filled with good soil, or pot singly 

 into the smallest size pots. For most 

 things, for the first moving, the 

 method of transplanting into flats is 

 the most practical in that usually a 

 smaller percentage die than when the 

 other method is adopted. Again, when 

 the seedlings begin to crowd in the 

 flats, it will be advisable in most cases 



Begonias 



Plant now to insure good saleable 

 plants for spring sales. 



Crimson 



Orange 



Scarlet 



Pink 



White 



Yellow 



Mixed 



Doz, 



$0.40 

 .40 

 .40 



.40 

 .40 

 .40 



.35 



Single 

 100 



E' 75 

 2.75 



•-'•7£ 

 2.75 

 2 75 

 2.75 

 2.30 



J3350 



23 5° 

 23.50 

 23.50 

 23.50 

 23.50 

 22.00 



Doz. 



$0.65 

 .65 

 .05 

 ■(■i 

 .65 

 .65 

 .50 



DiiUllLE 



too 1000 



$5.00 $40.00 



5 00 40.00 



5 00 4C.00 



5.00 40.00 



5.00 40.00 



5.00 40.0( 



4 00 35.00 



Gloxinias 



A handsome lot of bulbs, 

 large and sound, such as will 

 give only the best results. 



Blue 



Bordered Scarlet 



Bordered Blue 



Red and Scarlet 



Spotted 



White 



Choicest Mixed 



Doz. 100 I coo 



$0.60 $4 00 $35.00 



.60 4 00 35 00 



.60 4.00 35 00 



.60 4.00 35 00 



.60 4.00 3S-00 



.60 4.00 35.00 



.50 4.00 35.00 



Fancy Leaved Caladiums 



These are now largely used for decorative purposes, with other foliage plants, also excel enl 

 lor table decorations. They cover a wide range of colored foliage, 



Doz. 100 1000 



Lar^e Bulbs in named varieties $i*35 $10.00 $90.00 



Mixed, all varieties i.oo 8.00 75.00 



SEND FOR OUR NEW COMPLETE WHOLESALE CATALOGUE 



HENRY F. MICHELL CO. 



1018 Market Street, 



PHILADELPHIA, PA. 



to pot them into pots of a size in pro- 

 portion to the root they have made. 

 When priclcing off or potting seedlings 

 tor the first time, they should be 

 shaded lightly until they get somewhat 

 established. After all this, subsequent 

 treatment comes much easier to the 

 operator and also to the subjects op- 

 erated upon. D. Mcintosh. 



CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



J, G. Harrison & Sons, Berlin. Md.— 

 Catalogue of general nursery stock. 



Leedle Floral Company, Springfield, 

 O. — Rosy Propositions for Spring, 1907. 



Peacock Dahlia Farms, Atco, N. .J. — 

 Special catalogue of dahlia roots for 

 1907. 



Maple Ave. Greenhouses, West Ches- 

 ter, Pa.— Surplus list of fruit and or- 

 namental trees. 



F. E. Stewart, Rives Junction, Mich. 

 —1907 trade price list of gladiolus 

 bulbs and hardy plants. 



Mosbaek Greenhouse Company, On- 

 arga. 111. — Descriptive list of cannas, 

 ferns and bedding plants. 



B. Y. Teas Company, Centerville, 

 Ind. — Wholesale price list of trees, 

 shrubs and plants for 1907. 



John R. Clarke & Co., Bellevue 

 Greenhouses, West Roxbury, Mass. — 

 Catalogue of plants, bulbs, shrubs and 



W. C. Krick, Brooklyn, N. Y.— 

 Florists' immortelle letters and novel- 

 ties, '•Perfect" flower pot handle and 

 hanger. 



W. Atlee Burpee & Co., Philadelphia, 

 Pa —1907 wholesale price list for mar- 

 ket gardeners and florists. Profusely 

 illustrated. 



Bromfield, Colvin, Rees Co., Bay 

 City, Mich.— 1907 wholesale quotations 

 on fancy peas, beans and other vege- 

 table seeds. 



Harvey Seed Company, Buffalo, N. 

 Y.— Annual catalogue of vegetable, 

 field and flower seeds. A selected list 

 of good things. 



S. M. Isbell & Co., Jackson, Mich.— 

 Farm and Garden Seeds. Devoted 

 mainly to agricultural and vegetable 

 garden seeds; very complete. 



F. E. Conine Nursery Company, 

 Stratford, Conn. — Spring and fall cata- 

 logue of general nursery and land- 

 scape gardeners' stock. Illustrations 

 good and descriptive matter very com- 

 plete. 



Thomas J. Grey & Co., Boston, Mass. 

 —Seed Catalogue for 1907. The usual 

 good list of seeds and tools, with inter- 

 esting addition of novelties and spe- 

 cialties in flower and vegetable seeds, 

 dahlias, gladoli, etc. 



HORTICULTURE'S REPRESENTA- 

 TIVES. 



The following named gentlemen 

 represent this paper in their various 

 local districts, and are authorized to 

 accept subscriptions, advertisements 

 and news items: 

 UUKFALO. K. y.— E. (.'. Rriiekei-, 38.5-87 



Ellicott St. 

 CI.EVEL.iND. OHIO— A. L. Hutchins, 2220 



East 74tU St. 

 COLUMBUS, OHIO— M. B. Faxon, 246 Oak 



St. 

 CINCINNATI. OHIO- Frank W. Ball, 31 



East 3(J St. 

 DETROrH, jriCH.— Frank Danzer. 1487 



2.->tb St. 

 INlPlANArOLIS. IND.— George B. Wie- 



ganfl, lillii N. Illinois St. 

 LOUISVILLE. KY.- F. L. Schulz. Jr., 1325 



Cherokee Rd. 

 MONTRE.4.L.— William Cocpri'. .3.38 St. 



jHmes St. 

 NEWPORT, R. I. — D.ivid Mcliitosb. Leilge 



Road. 

 IIUL.VIiELPHIA, PA.— George C. Wat- 

 son Dolisor. Bids.. 9th and Market Sts. 

 SAN FR.iNCISCO, CAL. — Luther Mon- 



ni'tto. .SG6 Isabella St.. Oakland. Cal. 

 ST. P.\UL. JIINN.— Gilbert L. Skutt, cor. 



Hovt & Hamliue Aves. 

 TOLEDO. OHIO— J. L. Schiller, 929 Prouty 



pGONIA VERNON 



■* EXTRA FINE STRAIN ■■ 



TRADE PKT. 25c, 



Wm, Elliott & Sons 



20I Fulton St., NEW YORK 



purTunleached hardwcod ashes 



Nature's plant food. The best fertilizer to buUd up 

 the land. You get the best in the Joynt brand. 



Write for prices to 

 JOHN JOYNT, Lucknow. Ontario. Canada. 



