THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 1G3 



able for amateurs. Eaising seedlings, on the other hand, is very 

 simple, and, it appears to me, that it is well nigh impossible to fail.^ 

 Much has been written in books and periodicals condemnatory of 

 seedlings, because, as it is asserted, a very large proportion come 

 tall in growth, and bear ill-shaped and badly-coloured flowers. To 

 a certain extent this assertion is correct ; for if the seed is saved 

 from flowers of an inferior character, the seedlings will be inferior 

 also ; but by saving seed from first-class varieties only, the per- 

 centage of inferior flowers will be very small, so small as not to be 

 worth a moment's consideration. Our collection this year comprised 

 some hundreds of seedlings, and there was hardly a variety inferior 

 to the best of the named sorts, and there were many vastly supe- 

 rior, and they were so regular in growth that even the most 

 experienced cultivator might have fallen into the error of supposing 

 that the stock had been increased by means of offsets. _ The flowers 

 were large, mostly of fine quality, and all exceedingly rich in colour. 

 I mention this, merely to show that, with good seed, the flowers 

 will be of excellent quality ; and if I have said more than ought to 

 be said upon this point, our editor, who has seen my seedlings, will, 

 doubtless, set me right. I may add, that I save my own seed, and 

 that some years of careful selecting has been necessary to bring: my 

 strain to its present state of perfection. 



Cinerarias are of the most value for decorative purposes in March 

 and April ; and to produce strong plants for blooming in these 

 months, sow in the first or second week in June. Prepare one or 

 more pans by putting an inch layer of small crocks in the bottom, 

 and then filling, nearly level with the rim, with light sandy soil ; sow 

 thinly, and cover lightly with fine sandy soil. The surface should then 

 be sprinkled lightly with water, and the seed-pans placed in a cold pit 

 or frame in a shady position. We find it advantageous to shut the 

 seed-pans up in a small propagating frame inside the pit, as by this 

 means the soil holds the moisture longer, and frequent waterings 

 are, therefore, rendered unnecessary. This is a decided gain, because 

 of the risk of some portion of the seed perishing when the pans are 

 placed where the moisture dries out of the soil quickly. The latter 

 must be maintained in a moderately moist condition, and as soon as 

 the young plants make their appearance, remove the cover from the 

 inside frame ; and as they increase in strength, admit air to the outer 

 frame by tilting the lights at the back. As soon as the seedlings 

 have a rough leaf as large as a shilling, prepare other pans similar to 

 ■ those in which the seed is sown, and the compost used for filling 

 these should contain a rather larger proportion of leaf-mould. When 

 the surface has been made rather firm, carefully lift the seedlings 

 with a pointed stick, and dibble them in the pans rather more than 

 an inch apart, sprinkle them lightly, and shut them up in the frames 

 again for a week or ten days, by which time they will be established 

 in the new soil. They will require rather liberal supplies of water, 

 and when they begin to grow and produce new leaves, the frame 

 must be ventilated more freely. Tiiey will soon fill these pans, and 

 when the plants touch each other put them separately in the pots 

 known as " small sixties." Again place in the frame, and also keep 



Jane. 



