Growing Flowers 109 



Petunias 



Petunias are excellent as house plants or for filling 

 window boxes. If staked, they will hold up their 

 branches prettily, but even drooping over the side 

 they will be graceful and attractive. Petunias 

 have a long season and require very little care. 



Petunias are not exacting with regard to soil and 

 will thrive in almost any arable soil, enduring 

 drought well and blooming in great profusion. 

 They should be sown in a hotbed in March and 

 transplanted to the open when the soil is warm 

 enough. The seed of the double varieties requires 

 more attention to prevent extremes of temperature 

 and of moisture than the seed of the single flowers. 

 A pane of glass placed over the seed will be helpful 

 in preventing loss of moisture. In planting pe- 

 tunia seed in the open ground, do not cover with 

 earth. 



Phlox 



The phlox will thrive in any ordinary garden soil 

 and when once started it is self -perpetuating, some- 

 times from the seed, and, where the climate will 

 permit, from root increase. 



