196 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



inch shorter than the width of the box in- 

 side, bevel off one edge V shaped, with this 

 sharp edge make the little drill in which to 

 sow the seeds, and use the other edge to 

 cover them by pushing the soil in from either 

 side and firming it down well immediately 

 over the seeds. Several kinds may be 

 planted in the same box. Put the drills 

 about one and a half inches apart and sow 

 quite thin. The firmer the seed the less soil 

 should be used in covering. Nasturtiums 

 may be planted to the depth of one inch, 

 while pansies, verbenas, asters, dianthus, 

 phlox drummondii, etc., should not be 

 covered with more than a quarter of an inch 

 of soil. 



Asters for early flowering should be sown 

 in the house early in April, when two inches 

 high transplant to small pots, or flats, three 

 inches apart each way. They are quite 

 hardy, and can be transplanted to the gar- 

 den when the peach trees are in bloom. 

 They make better plants by transplanting 

 once or twice rather than sowing the seed 

 where they are to remain. In good soil the 

 plants should stand twelve to eighteen in- 

 ches apart. For later bloom, plant seed out 

 doors as soon as the trees are out in leaf. 

 Thoroughly cultivate the soil among the 

 plants, and when they are nicely in bud give 

 a mulch of coarce manure, cut straw or lawn 

 clippings. This will, keep the soil cool and 

 moist during the hot weather, which is 

 necessary if you want the best flowers. 



Dianthus — hardy biennial, that flowers 

 freely the first season, and gives a wonder- 

 ful variety of colors. Seeds may be planted 

 and young plants treated as indicated above 

 for asters. When planting where they are 

 to remain, they should stand ten or twelve 

 inches apart. But tew flowers give such 

 satisfactory results for the small amount ot 

 labor required to grow them. 



Nasturtiums — These old garden favor- 

 ites have been so much improved of late 

 that they are now fully entitled to a place in 



the same rank with asters, pansies and 

 sweet peas. The seed can be planted where 

 they are to remain as soon as the soil is dry 

 enough to work in spring. I prefer to plant 

 a few seed for early bloom in small pots in 

 the house. One seed in a pot, planted the 

 last of March or early in April. But few 

 flowers will continue to give such a quantity 

 of bright bloom during the hot dry weather 

 of midsummer as the nasturtium. The seed 

 should be planted one inch deep, and the 

 soil pressed over them firmly to insure good 

 germination. The tall growing sorts should 

 have a trellis for best eff"ect. They also do 

 nicely trailing on the ground, if planted about 

 two feet apart, for trellis, eight to twelve 

 inches. The Tom Thumb or dwarf grow- 

 ing varieties are best for beds or borders. 

 They succeed in any good garden soil, and 

 are as easily grown as a potato. They 

 should be planted twelve to fifteen inches 

 apart. If they are planted too close they 

 are apt to rot off during wet weather. 



Pansies require a cool moist situation for_ 

 best results, rather strong clay loam is pre- 

 ferable, but the}' will succeed on any good 

 garden soil. The large flowered varieties 

 will not stand so well during the hot dry 

 weather of midsummer as the medium sized 

 kinds. Sow seed as early in spring as the 

 soil will permit. These will bloom freely 

 during the latter part of summer and fall. 

 All blooms should be kept cut off" as they 

 begin to fade. If they are allowed to seed 

 they soon become exhausted. After bloom- 

 ing for a considerable length of time the 

 plants make long straggling branches, these 

 should be cut off" from time to time, which 

 induces new branches to grow from near the 

 base of the plant, and thus prolong its use- 

 fulness. By giving the plants a mulch ot 

 coarse manure leaves or straw when the 

 ground freezes, they will produce a wonder- 

 ful profusion of bloom early the following 

 spring. 



Petunias — To iJ:row the better kinds ot 



