HORTICULTURE 



Calceolaria, Hybrid or Greenhouse Varieties 



Now is the time to be thinking of sowing seeds of 

 the above in order to procure decorative plants of 

 considerable size as well as exhibition plants in time 

 next year, and one of the first essentials for the 

 successful cultivator to keep in mind is the pro- 

 curing of the best strain of seeds obtainable, for it 

 is as easy to grow the best strains as it is to grow 

 the indifferent strains, and infinitely more satisfac- 

 tory at the finish line. Firms that have invariably 

 made a good reputation for themselves in furnishing 

 seeds of the highest merit, are logically the ones to 

 be patronized as being likely to supply the article to 

 meet all expectations. Yet it is well, at times, to 

 deviate from a beaten path for the sake of self con- 

 vincement, and procure a few from different sources 

 and note results. Such a test to be of value, however, 

 must be carried out on strickly methodical principles 

 and not hap-hazard,that is, each kind must necessaril}' 

 be kept separate and labelled up to the flowering 

 stage. 



At the very commencement of calceolaria culture 

 from seed, there begins the trouble that is likely to 

 unstarch the enthusiasm of the average gardener, for 

 they will persist, without the most exacting care, 

 to vanish from sight by damping off; doubtless this 

 can be attributed to their impatience and dislike of 

 warm surroundings which is difficult to get over at 

 this season of the year should the season be normal. 

 The fact that later batches sown in August go ahead 

 with much less fuss seems to lend support to the 

 above theory. Notwithstanding that the present- 

 day calceolarias of our conservatories are an evolu- 

 tion of considerable standing from progenitors in- 

 habiting lofty mountain regions in Southern Ameri- 

 ca, Peru, and Chili, yet it seems that their native 

 hardiness and love of bracing cool surroundings still 

 clings to them, for in such only do they make any 

 progress, a fact that must not be let out of sight 

 should we court success with them. Well out of the 

 seedling stage, with an eye to keeping them cool and 

 shaded from bright sunshine, and after the natural 

 cool nights of autumn set in, calceolarias are not 

 difficult to grow, neither are they so dirty and lousy 

 as reputed to be when assigned to proper quarters, 

 which of course must be cool and airy. 



Shallow pans are probably the best receptacles to 

 sow calceolaria seed in, and should of course be well- 

 drained. Finely-sifted soil composed of leaf mold 

 or peat, with a small portion of soddy soil and clean 

 sharp sand' in ample quantities mixed thoroughly to- 

 gether, makes a suitable compost for the seed; this 

 should be moist enough not to require any watering 

 for some few days after the seeds are sown. As the 

 seeds are extremely small they should be sim[jly 

 pressed on the surface of the soil and not covered as 

 most other seeds are; it follows then that extreme 

 care must be taken in watering, so as not to wash 



the seeds from their ])ositions, and until germination 

 takes place; the best way to accomplish this is to 

 dip the seed-pans in a vessel of water to the point 

 of saturation. A pane of glass over the mouth of 

 the seed pan is very essential, as it will check evapor- 

 ation, thereby reducing the watering operation to a 

 minimum. After germination takes place the pane 

 of glass ought to be tilted to admit air, and as the 

 seedhngs get stronger it ought to be removed alto- 

 gether. 



I have found powdered charcoal for the seed re- 

 ceiving layer a good thing to prevent excessive 

 damping-off. As soon as they can be handled at all. 

 they should be pricked off in other pans of fresh 

 soil, the best prevention of all from damping-off. 

 It follows after what I have said of their nature, 

 likes, and dislikes that the coolest place possible is 

 to be secured for placing the seed pans in. A cold 

 frame facing north is a good place, double sheltered 

 on hot days if deemed necessary and as experience 

 teaches. A north lean-to greenhouse where the sun 

 hardly ever reaches in summer, provided it is kept 

 cool and airy, is an ideal place for raising seedling 

 calceolarias. 



Of necessity the seed pans must be kept on shelves 

 close to the glass. Whatever place they may occupy 

 it is well to have quantities of tobacco stems strewn 

 in their immediate neighborhood, to be replaced at 

 frequent intervals with fresh stems; this prevents 

 the attacks of greenfly, spider, and thrips, and is 

 much safer than smoking. They should be repotted 

 like any other plants as their progress warrents; on 

 approaching their final potting, good maiden soil 

 of a soddy nature is very acceptable to them and this 

 should contain a liberal quantity of sheep-manure or 

 cow-manure, gathered from a pasture in a somewhat 

 hard and bleached condition; a small quantity of 

 leaf-soil, sand, and charocal nodules completes a very 

 suitable compost, other things being equal. 



Careful watering is necessary with calceolarias at 

 most all stages. On account of their soft and woolly 

 foliage, and especially when the plants get large and 

 prior to flowering, water should be introduced care- 

 fully underneath the foliage and not indifferently 

 over head, otherwise they will become rusty and more 

 than likely quantities of the foliage will decay. A 

 house a few degrees above frost line suits them in 

 the winter admirably ; perfectly healthy and vigorous, 

 and when the roots embrace thoroughly the mass 

 of soil in the pots, they stand considerable feeding 

 in liquid form. Enterprising cultivators should set 

 aside exceptionally fine varieties to obtain seeds for 

 themselves for then they can rest assured that they 

 have something to rclv on. 



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