196 VILLA GAKDENING part ii 



afterwards giving each plant a pot to itself, and then wait for 

 the flowers to come. As each flower opens we can judge as to 

 its merits, and either keep or discard it as we wish. By fol- 

 lowing up this system of selection for a few years, a good and 

 improved strain will be the result. Petunia seeds are very small, 

 and should only be covered lightly ; but good seed germinates with 

 the greatest certainty in a slight hotbed in March, or on a green- 

 house shelf with a square of glass over the pot. It often happens 

 that the smallest, weakest plants among a batch of Petunia seedlings 

 produce the best flowers, as the stronger plants are frequently 

 coarse in habit, with that absence of refinement which breed gives 

 in flowers as in all other things. Therefore, if the weaklings are 

 discarded a great mistake will be made. 



Varieties of Double Petunia. — Crimson King, Antagonist, Miria, 

 Alice, Adonis, Beauty of Plymouth, Mont Tycho, Hiberuia, Miss 

 Hender, Lord Chamberlain, Marguerite, Talisman. 



Sinr/le Petunias. — Elegance, Caiinell's Favourite, I\Irs. S. Hib- 

 berd, Regularity, Dr. Denny, Beauty, Avalanche, Clairvoyant, Mrs. 

 A. Maye, Annie Mann, Mrs. H. Cannell. 



Tree Carnations. — These are so sweet and beautiful iu 

 winter, especially for cutting, as to be quite indispensable. They 

 are easily grown too ; a loamy soil, enriched with old cow-dung, 

 and sharpened with road grit, suits them well. In order to pro- 

 cure abundance of flowers, propagate plenty of plants annually, 

 and plant them out in a bed of loam, lifting and potting in Sep- 

 tember. Thus a lot of young plants will always be coming on. 

 The older plants may also be turned out into the bed of loam for 

 two or three months in summer with advantage. This causes numer- 

 ous shoots to break away, and to obtain plenty of flowers there 

 must be a free gi'owth. Cuttings or pipings put in early in spring, 

 if well attended to, will make nice blooming plants by the follow- 

 ing winter. The points of the leading shoots, or even the side 

 shoots, will make good cuttings, and, if inserted in pots of sandy 

 soil plunged in a mild bottom-heat any time during spring, will 

 quickly root, when they should be potted off" and grown in a close 

 frame for a time. Cuttings will also root under a handlight, or 

 in a frame, any time during summer and autumn in a shady spot 

 with more certainty even than in heat in spring. And such pro- 

 ductions, with the longer season of growth Avhich the early start 

 gives them, make grand plants the following year. Tree Carnations 

 are easily raised from seeds, and with a good strain the number of 

 single or worthless flowers is very small. I saw lately a batch 

 of seedlings, raised from a packet of seeds purchased from a 

 London house, which contained superb flowers in a dozen diff"erent 



