Spring Flowers from Seeds 



Those planted out in October on a dry soil will not only bloom 

 early and gaily, but will be beautiful in their different tints of green 

 all the winter through. 



But we are not restricted to annuals in seeking for spring flowers 

 from seeds. With very few exceptions, all the favourite plants of the 

 spring garden may be grown from seeds at a cost almost infinitesimal 

 as compared with the raising of named varieties from cuttings and 

 divisions. And this remark applies even to Daisies, which now 

 come sufficiently true and good from seeds. Pansies, which are still 

 unsurpassed as distinct and splendid bedders, also come true from 

 seed, as do the several species and varieties of Arabis, Alyssum, 

 Aubrietia, Viola, Polyanthus, Iberis, Forget-me-not, and Wallflower. 

 The precision of style and colouring that results from raising these 

 from cuttings is, of course, admitted; but in forming masses and 

 ribbon lines, minute individual characters are of less consequence 

 than a good general effect, and this may be insured by raising the 

 plants from seed in a manner so cheap and expeditious that we feel 

 assured spring bedding would be more often seen in its proper fresh- 

 ness and fulness were the system we now recommend adopted in 

 place of the tedious one of multiplication by offsets and cuttings. 



It is of importance, however, to observe that these biennial and 

 perennial plants require more time to prepare themselves for flower- 

 ing than do the annuals. If sown in August they may not bloom at all 

 the next season, or the bloom may be late and insignificant. But if 

 sown in May and June they have a long season of growth before 

 winter sets in, and at the turn of spring the plants will be matured 

 and strongly set for bloom. 



The sowing of biennial and perennial plants for a display of spring 

 flowers must be carefully done. The ground should be moderately 

 rich and quite mellow through being well broken up; in other 

 words, a good seed-bed must be prepared. If the weather is dry, 

 the drills should be watered before the seed is sown ; and in the 

 event of a drought, the young plants must have the aid of water to 

 keep them going through the summer. The seed should be sown 

 thinly, and, as soon as the plants are large enough, they should be 

 thinned out if at all crowded, and the thinnings can be planted in 

 rows and shaded for a while to make extra fine plants. As a rule, the 

 whole of the work will be comprised in sowing, thinning, and weeding. 

 In average seasons they will not require watering, and in this matter 

 alone will be seen the advantage of raising from seeds instead of 

 cuttings, 



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