The Culture of Flowers from Seeds 



is no occasion to put the plants into larger pots than the 6o-size. It 

 will be necessary to give these seedlings shade in their young state, 

 after they have been pricked off or potted. 



The beds or borders intended for Petunias will be better without 

 recent manure, for this tends to the excessive production of foliage 

 and defers the flowering until late in the season. Do not be tempted 

 by the first sunny day to put them out, but wait for settled weather. 

 A cutting east wind, such as we sometimes have in May, will ruin 

 them irretrievably. Each plant of the tall class will occupy a space 

 of two feet, and the dwarfs may be one foot apart. 



In potting Petunias, those which are weakly among the singles 

 will probably produce the most valued colours, and from seed sown 

 for doubles it may be accepted as a rule that from the feebler seed- 

 lings the finest rosette-shaped flowers may be expected. 



All Petunias are impatient of being pot-bound, and this applies 

 especially to the double varieties. They will, if treated generously, 

 do ample justice to the 8- or even the lo-inch size. The growth 

 should not be hurried at any stage, and if the foliage has a dark, 

 healthy, green colour, free from blight, there will *be magnificent 

 flowers four or five inches across. The final shift should be into a 

 sound compost, consisting, if possible, of good loam and leaf-mould 

 in equal parts, with sufficient sand added to insure drainage. About 

 a fortnight later commence giving weak manure water once a week 

 instead of the ordinary watering, and as the buds appear it may be 

 increased in strength, and be administered twice a week until the 

 flowers expand. 



Petunias are accommodating in their growth, and may be trained 

 into various forms. The pyramid and fan-shape are most common, 

 and the least objectionable. We confess, however, to a feeling of 

 antipathy to fanciful shapes in plants, no matter what they may be. It 

 is a necessity of our artificial conditions of culture that many of them 

 should be trained and tied to produce shapely specimens, but the 

 more nearly the gardener's art approaches Nature, the greater pleasure 

 we derive from his labours. 



PHLOX DRUMMONDII 



Half-hardy annual 



THOSE who are acquainted with the older forms of this annual 

 might fail to recognise a friend under its new and improved appearance. 



260 



