SPRING. 67 



them. It is not easy to regulate the due supply of air ; and 

 if too rapidly forced at first, the plants lose in strength what 

 they gain in length, and do not correspond in their after- 

 growth with their early start in life. I have a lively recol- 

 lection of an experiment of this kind on a packet of zinnia 

 seeds. The pots containing these were plunged into a heap 

 of mown grass laid aside to decay, and, covered with a 

 hand-glass, they sprang up as fast as heart could wish ; 

 but even when exposed to the air, they grew into tall weak 

 shoots, and perished without having put out more than the 

 two seminal leaves. Both zinnias, however, and asters, 

 French and African marigolds, and some others, require a 

 moderate hot-bed to start them ; at least they are very apt 

 to lie dormant a long time when sown in the open ground, 

 coming up so irregularly, that half the seed seems to have 

 been unripe. The pretty Tropoeolum Ccmariense, when first 

 introduced, used to get little attentions of this kind, but 

 now it is allowed to grow from the first in the open air ; 

 and indeed we find our best plants are those that spring 

 up self-sown ; of these there is always abundance, as well 

 as of half-ripe seed for gathering. Soaking some seeds in 

 lukewarm water is another means of hastening their ger- 

 mination. Sweet peas, nasturtiums, lupines, and scarlet- 

 runners, all sprout sooner when thus immersed in water 

 for some hours before they are sown. Virginian stock is 

 about the quickest grower of the small annuals, making its 

 appearance above ground almost rapidly enough to satisfy 

 the most youthful gardener : — not quite so soon, my young 

 friends, as the next day after being sown, which, if I re- 



