84 The Flower Garden [Chapter 



with wonderfully veined and tinted throats and thick, 

 stocky stems. It is difficult to realise that they are 

 the same plants, plus a few generations of good living 

 and culture. 



The double Petunias are desirable for pots, vases, 

 and bedding out, but I do not think they compare 

 with such strains as Burpee's Defiance, the Giants of 

 California, the Ruffled Giants, and the Miranda. 

 Miranda, for example, is a rosy carmine merging into 

 a brilliant scarlet in the throat the nearest approach 

 to a scarlet Petunia yet produced. The seed of double 

 Petunias will yield a fair proportion of double flow- 

 ers. The young plants of both the single and double 

 varieties require great care at first, being very sensi- 

 tive to hot sun or cold air. Once established, how- 

 ever, they will stand a great deal of both more, 

 indeed, than almost any other flower of this class. 

 Plant them in flats in the house in March by pressing 

 the seed into the soil without covering ; keeping moist 

 and warm until the seed germinates, usually from 

 eight to ten days. When large enough to handle, 

 prick off into larger flats and set them in a warm 

 north or east window. When the leaves touch set 

 them two or three inches apart each way in other flats 

 and let them grow until it is time to place them in 

 the open ground, hardening them gradually by ex- 

 posure to more sun and air each day, and transplant 

 with great care. If intended to replace the Pansies 

 they may be set in the bed in June, the Pansies afford- 



