86 PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



a vegetable of the same class requires the utmost care. 

 As soon as the seeds have grown so as to attain the first 

 true leaves that is, the first leaves that show after the 

 seed-leaves they must be replanted carefully in soft, 

 light soil, at from one to three inches apart, according to 

 the kind. This will not only prevent them from damping 

 <>fF, as many of them are very apt to do, but they will be 

 much stronger and suffer less when replanted to the open 

 ground. We prefer to replant the seedlings in the shallow 

 boxes already described. They are more portable thus than 

 if planted again in the soil of the hot-bed, though, of 

 course, after planting in the boxes these are put again 

 in the hot-bed. After the seedlings have been planted 

 in tfie^e boxes lightly water them and shade for two 

 or three days. As the season advances, attend to venti- 

 lation, watering, and covering up at night. 



To such as have not the convenience of a hot-bed, the 

 flower-seeds may be sown in the shallow boxes above 

 mentioned, and placed in the window of a south or east 

 room, where the thermometer does not average less than 

 70. Success would be more complete, however, if panes 

 of glass were placed over the seeds, resting on the edge 

 of the box an inch or so from the soil. This would pre- 

 vent evaporation, and render watering, which has the ef- 

 fect of caking the surface of the soil and preventing ger- 

 mination, less necessary. 



We will name the varieties of flowers most suitable for 

 amateurs to sow: 



(anna Illdica, or Indian Shot, grown mainly for the 

 beauty of its foliage. Sown in hot-bed in April, and 

 planted out in the open ground in June, will, by August, 

 attain a height of six or eight feet. In addition to 

 the rich, tropical-looking foliage, the flowers of some sorts 

 are handsome colors yellow, scarlet, orange, etc. 



Antirrhinum, or Snap-Dragon. A beautiful summer 



