THE OPENING YEAR 



be repeated in April, May, or June if any of the shoots Jan. 

 begin to straggle. Its effect is to furnish the plants with 16-31 

 a sufficient number of compact shoots, all of which will 

 bloom in due course. 



The plants will be quite safe in a frame, or even 

 stood on ashes out of doors, in summer, but they should 

 be put under glass in September. 



Solving Sweet Peas. — It is not in the least too early 

 to sow a few pots or boxes of Sweet Peas. A choice 

 may be made from the varieties named in a previous 

 part of the present chapter, but let me here emphasise 

 the desirability of making full use of the beautiful range 

 of pink and rosy varieties which we now have, because 

 they look so well under artificial light. Countess 

 Spencer, Constance Oliver, Chrissie Unwin (but this 

 is nearer cerise than pink or rose), Edna Unwin, 

 Sunproof Crimson, Zarina, and Mrs. Hardcastle Sykes 

 are all charming. The grower might get some 6-inch 

 pots, and put half-a-dozen seeds equidistant in each, 

 covering them \ inch deep. A greenhouse shelf, or 

 a frame, will suit them until April, when they can be 

 planted in the garden. 



Floivering Plants for Rooms. — One who has a warm 

 greenhouse need never be without a few pots or vases 

 of plants in bloom that can be drafted into rooms. 

 Even without glass, flowers can be had at most seasons 

 by growing bulbs in bowls of peat-moss fibre, but 

 January flowering is doubtful. Roman and other early 

 Hyacinths, early Tulips, various Narcissi, Azaleas, and 

 Freesias can be pushed on in a warm greenhouse, and 

 transferred to the rooms when they approach the flower- 

 ing stage. The little Freesia is the least conspicuous of 

 the flowers I have named, but many will like it the best 

 on account of its delicious odour. 



49 D 



