114 PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



seedlings have been planted in these boxes, lightly water 

 them and shade for two or three days. As the season ad- 

 vances attend to ventilation, watering and covering up 

 at night. 



Those who have not the convenience of a hot-bed may 

 sow the flower seeds in the shallow boxes above men- 

 tioned, and place them in the window of a south or east 

 room, where the thermometer does not average less than 

 seventy degrees. Success would be more complete, how- 

 ever, if panes of glass were placed over the seeds, resting 

 on the edges of the box an inch or so above the soil. This 

 would prevent evaporation and render watering, which 

 lias the effect of caking the surface of the soil and pre- 

 venting germination, less necessary. The protecting cloth, 

 already described, may be used for any purpose for which 

 glass can be used in covering seeds after May 1. 



We name in the following list, the varieties of flowers 

 most suitable to grow from seeds : 



Canna Indira, or Indian Shot, grown mainly for the 

 beauty of its foliage. Sown in hot-bed in April, and 

 planted out in the open ground in June, will by August 

 attain a height of six or eight feet. In addition to the 

 rich, tropical-looking foliage, the flowers of some sorts 

 are handsome ; colors : yellow, scarlet, orange, etc. A 

 new dwarf variety has just been introduced, growing only 

 a foot and a half in height, with flowers nearly as fine as 

 those of the Gladiolus, and in far greater variety than 

 the taller sorts. 



Antirrhinum, or Snap-Dragon. A beautiful summer 

 flowering plant, presenting a great diversity of coloring, 

 is easily raised from seed in the hot-bed. The Antir- 

 rhinums may be planted out in this latitude in May, and 

 flower from middle of June throughout the summer. 



Cobaea scandens, A climbing plant, which will attain, 

 from seed, a growth of twenty or thirty feet in one season. 



