66 THE CHEONICLES OF A GAEDEN. 



way, and sometimes mignonette springs up where it lias 

 been sown the year before. I have seen the plan recom- 

 mended of forking over the plots of mignonette in autumn, 

 burying the plants, when it is said the seeds will spring uj:) 

 early next year, and produce stronger plants than if sown. 

 Perhaps it is because all our mignonette is gathered for 

 nosegays, the last blossoms being the most prized, that I can 

 say nothing from experience as to this plan ; but seeds 

 sown in autumn, if they outlive the winter, certainly flower 

 earlier than spring-sown ones. Something also may depend 

 on the liking some plants have for the particular soil or 

 situation. I recollect the late Dr Neill expressing surprise 

 at the manner in which the large scarlet poppy grew in 

 our garden ; it spread ahnost like a weed, and indeed had 

 to be dug up in some places, while he could scarcely get it 

 to grow, and never to propagate itself by seed. After our 

 seeds are sown comes the pleasure of watching for their 

 appearance above ground, varying, as it does, from four or 

 five days to twelve or fifteen, according to the weather, or 

 the size of the seed. In warm moist weather, there is rapid 

 growth ; but the difference made by temperature is of course 

 much more observable, when we compare seeds sown in a 

 hot-bed or stove with those sown in the open air. Some 

 seeds, zinnia, for example, spring up in five days in a 

 stove, while they take from twelve to twenty days in the 

 open air ; and in most instances recorded, a difference of 

 at least eight days has been observed. 



Let me caution the inexperienced, however, against the 

 danger of weakening the young plants Avhen thus forcing 



