HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 211 



For a good late Summer and fall show, plant the seeds in such beds 

 as described out of doors, as soon as any kind of gardening can 

 safely be done, light frosts will not hurt the plants. These plants 

 may be in the garden by the middle of June and blooming early 

 in July, but it is better to keep all flowers off until plants are done 

 branching and strong. No seed pods should form before the end 

 of August, and none at &ny time if best flowering results are de- 

 sired. For spring blooming plants, seeds may be sown from mid- 

 dle of July to end of August and south of Minnesota still later. 

 The earliest plants may be set in September where they are to 

 stay, covering with a little brush and leaves for winter protection. 

 If the plants are in rows, a still better protection for these, as well 

 as sweet williams, pinks, hardy primulas and the like, is to cover 

 the rows with an inverted V-shaped trough, and throw some litter 

 over this. If intended for spring sales these and later ones may be 

 protected in cold frames, with a covering of boards instead of glass. 

 Glass stimulates too much growth when the plants should rest. 

 For the trade seeds may also be sown in the greenhouse from early 

 in January to middle of February, transplanting when necessary, 

 and putting in cold frame as soon as practicable. Early plants 

 may be started in the house if care is taken to keep them robust 

 and stocky until they can be got out of doors. For winter blooming 

 in house or greenhouse, the plants from July sown seeds are best, 

 and they must be well established in their winter quarters in good 

 season. Old plants will not give satisfaction for winter flowers; 

 but spring sown plants could be kept back for the purpose. Doubt- 

 less the very best soil for pansies would be an old, loamy, June 

 grass pasture turned under the Summer previous, with a coating of 

 well rotted manure worked in, and the soil frequently loosened 

 before setting out the plants. The next best soil would be a clover 

 pasture with like management. In the permanent flower garden 

 we do not expect to turn under green crops but a bed of clover or 

 rye would make a fine show even in the lawn, and be as useful for 

 renovating as on the farm. But all that is needed for success is a 

 soil, not extremely sandy or clayey, with a good mixture of fine 

 black manure. A south slope on the south of buildings is too hot, 

 and the shade of trees is like tall weeds. Frequent cultivations 

 with hoe or rake should be given, never allowing a crust to form 

 after either rain or watering. No one point in pansy culture is 

 more important than frequently mellowing the soil. 



When transplanting if the soil leaves the roots too freely while 

 taking up, they should be sprinkled with water and fresh soil 

 thrown over them. The same treatment is good for plants of any 

 kind received by mail or express. The amount of shading and 

 Avatering necessary depends on the weather, often neither being 

 necessary. Pansies are easily propagated from cuttings, layers or 

 with old plants from divisions of roots, but such trouble is not 

 worth while with any kind of plants which are easily raised from 

 seeds, excepting when we have some particular flower which we 

 wish to reproduce true to markings and color. If we make any 

 progress in improving varieties, or in creating new ones, it must 



