lo Dec. 1908.] Garden Notes. 757 



There is a decided and merited increase latterly in the culture of manv 

 of the most popular annual and biennial plants, their presence in most gar- 

 dens, when well grown, insuring a display of bright or sweetly perfumed 

 flowers during the greater part O'f the warm season of the year, when the 

 more permanent occupants are devoid of blooms. In response to the de- 

 mand that has arisen for young plants for transplanting, nurserymen i 

 various parts of the State have devoted considerable space and time to the 

 raising of the most popular lines, and a trade in annuals, &c., has been 

 built up in recent years that returns a large revenue to those engaged in 

 it. This trade has been facilitated by the excellent parcel post arrange- 

 ments, it being possible to obtain yomig plants, in fresh, vigorous, con- 

 dition when properly packed, in any part of the State, from nurserymen 

 located in the metropolis, or important provincial towns. 



Raising Annuals, &c., from Seed. 



Nurserymen and proficient gardeners experience very little difficulty in 

 raising plants from good seeds, but the novice often fails on account of 

 ignorance of the necessary conditions for their propagation. The first con- 

 dition necessary towards success is good fresh seed, it being as reasonable 

 to expect to get a chicken from an addled egg as a plant from a seed that 

 has lost its germinating power through old age. Seeds require a moderate 

 moisture and warmth to insure germination, and also comparative absence 

 of light and presence of air in the soil. A well tilled and finely divided 

 loam or a light sandy soil, fairly provided with humus, supplies the 

 requisite conditions generally. Good drainage insures soil aeration, and 

 the soil co\ering that is placed over the seeds, the necessary exclusion of 

 light. 



Many annual plants will not thrive if disturbed by transplanting, 

 mignonette being an example. In such cases the seeds should be sown 

 thinly in the garden beds; but the majority of kinds transplant well and 

 it is generally most convenient to raise the plants in small beds, boxes, &c., 

 and, when they are sufficiently large, to transfer them to their flowering 

 quarters. A few shallow boxes and a small quantity of light porous soil 

 is often the only equipment of some of the "small" trade growers, and 

 it is astonishing what large quantities of plants are raised in such places 

 during one year. The boxes are perforated and thoroughly drained by 

 placing about two inches of coarse ashes over the bottom, then the soil 

 is placed in them and pressed fairly firm. The surface is made smooth 

 and even and the seeds sown evenly and thinly and covered with light 

 sifted soil to a depth agreeing with the size of seeds. Very fine seeds 

 should be merelv covered, those moderate in size, which includes most 

 flowering annuals as stocks, phlox, &c., to a depth of about half an inch, 

 while larger seeds such as sweet peas, large sunflowers, &c. , require to be 

 covered by at least two inches of soil to insure sufficient moisture to soften 

 the seeds and promote germination. The soil used should be damp, but 

 not wet or sticky, to sow the seeds on, but the covering soil should be 

 rather dry. 



No manure is necessary to the germination of the seed or the wel- 

 fare of the voung plant until it is transplanted, and it is often on account 

 of the use of organic manure or fertilisers in the seed beds that failure has 

 resulted. More sturdy and hardy plants are raised when the soil is com- 

 paratively poor and dry- The roots of such plants are more fibrous in 

 character than those of plants grown in rich soil and liberallv watered, 

 and can be transplanted with a good prospect of success, if the soil that they 



