30 ANTIRRHINUMS AND PENTSTEMONS 



simply remains to be said that in raising plants from seed 

 sowing should be made in slight heat as early in the year 

 as possible, pricking out the young seedlings as soon as 

 they can be handled. Harden off gradually until the 

 young plants can be safely transferred to a cold frame, 

 and henceforward treat exactly as advised for cuttings. 

 For the simple purpose of producing a display in the 

 garden seedlings are even better than plants from 

 cuttings, and there is always the interesting possibility 

 of securing a seedling of outstanding merit, worthy of 

 perpetuation and the dignity of a distinctive name. 



Pot Culture. 



Old books devoted to the cultivation of florists* flowers 

 contained many elaborate recipes for the preparation of 

 potting composts. Those who adopted the role of 

 teachers made much of the importance of the proper 

 mixing of soils, and went into the minutest details 

 regarding exact proportions of weird mixtures of several 

 kinds of soils and manures, and even as to the number of 

 times the compost should be turned and the length of 

 time that should elapse before the prepared compost 

 might be used. Some successful exhibitors, out of vanity, 

 bigotry, or narrow-mindedness, were wont to guard as 

 mysterious secrets the method they adopted in mixing 

 soils, and I have personal recollection of instances in my 

 boyhood days where one or two of these veteran growers, 

 with a view to finance, would demand and receive from 

 novices payment for their particular formulae. We are 

 disposed to smile to-day at these old-fashioned notions, 

 but behind it all there is the sound truth that a carefully 

 balanced mixture of good soil with a judicious admixture 

 of manure is a sure starting-point toward success. A 

 good fibrous loam, made by stacking turves cut from a 

 fairly heavy soiled pasture for a year or so to decompose, 

 is a capital foundation for a good compost. Wire-worm 



