PLANTS FOB OUTSIDE PLANTING 423 



707. Plants which should be propagated from seeds 

 sown early in January. Several annual plants develop 

 slowly, and it is necessary to start such seeds early in 

 January to get plants ready for early flowering, or for 

 foliage effects. Among them are verbenas, most annual 

 grasses, salvias, ageratums, Begonia semperflorens, dusty 

 miller (centaureas) and grevilleas. The seed should be 

 sown the same as outlined in Chapter IX. 



708. Genera propagated by seeds sown later in the 

 spring. The larger part of other bedding plants are 

 started either in flats under glass about the last of March 

 or early in April, sown in cold frames the last of April, or 

 sown directly in the open ground early in May. As a 

 rule, more satisfactory bedding effects are obtained by 

 starting the seedlings in flats in the greenhouse or in frames, 

 and transplanting them once or twice before putting them 

 in their permanent beds. This insures better root systems 

 and stronger dwarf plants. Among the species propagated 

 in this way are asters, antirrhinums, annual delphiniums 

 (larkspurs), alyssums, amaranthus, arctotis, balsams, 

 bra chy comes, calendulas, calliopsis, candytufts, annual 

 carnations, celosias, centaureas, clarkias, cleomes, coreop- 

 sis, convolvulus, cosmos, dimorphothecas, echinocystis, 

 cobseas, echinops, eschscholtzias, gaillardias, ornamental 

 gourds, gypsophilas, annual sunflowers, lupines, mari- 

 golds, four-o 'clocks, matthiolas, mignonette, myosotis, 

 nicotiana, nigella, nasturtiums, petunias, Drummond's 

 phlox, poppies, portulacas, pyrethrums, castor oil beans, 

 salpiglossis, scabiosa, schizanthus, stocks, thunbergias 

 and zinnias. Of these species, poppies, mignonette and 

 portulaca do not transplant readily and should be sown 

 where they are to flower. 



709. Outdoor plants which are especially good for com- 



