THE PETUNIA. 11 



The systematic crossing of a few distinct species of 

 petunia has resulted in. the production of a number of 

 splendid varieties, which are invaluable as garden plants. 

 The showy single white, purple, and striped kinds may 

 be raised from seed sown on a hot-bed in March, and 

 if plmted out in May will flower superbly as the season 

 advances. Treated in this way, the petunia is one of the 

 cheapest and grandest of annuals, and as it makes a 

 sumptuous bed, the owner of a country garden may turn 

 it to good account, especially where the soil is hot and 

 sandy, for this suits the plant perfectly. The double 

 varieties make magnificent pot plants, and require precisely 

 or nearly the same treatment as geraniums, the two grand 

 points in their management being to train them with care 

 and keep them short and leafy to the bottom. They 

 ivquire a light rich soil, and to be safe from all extreme 

 conditions, more especially from extreme heat, for when 

 unduly forced they become infested with vermin, and if 

 they cannot be quickly cleansed by means of tobacco smoke, 

 they may as well be destroyed, for when they have once 

 gone wrong to any serious extent they never recover. 

 Reasonable care, however, will prevent any such mishap, 

 and, as remarked above, the matter of main importance 

 is to guard against extreme conditions. It is especially 

 worthy of remark that the petunia is more hardy than the 

 geranium, perhaps even a trifle more hardy than the 

 calceolaria ; hence it may be planted out somewhat early 

 in May if the weather is cloudy and genial, and if the 

 plants escape harm from frost as with a little care in 

 sheltering they will they will soon make a free growth 

 and shake off any trace of aphis or other insect pest they 

 may have been troubled with, and make an early and 



