THE PROPAGATION OF PLANTS 99 



broadcast, first covering the soil with a sprinkling of sphagnum 

 moss. This makes an excellent germinating medium and should 

 be tried wherever there is difficulty in germination. 



We divide our seeds into batches, one for indoors and one for 

 outdoors. The indoor batch includes all greenhouse plants such 

 as Grevillias, Dracaenas, Gloxinias, Begonias, and Primulas. 

 We also sow some tender annuals indoors such as Asters, Salvias, 

 Penstemons, Ageratums, Lobelias, Zinnias, and border Antir- 

 rhinums, and such as we want early, and all fine seeds of hardy 

 annuals that would be lost if sown in the open. 



Hardy annuals and some perennials are sown outdoors in late 

 April or May such as Agrostemma, Alyssum, Candytuft, Gyp- 

 sophila elegans, Larkspurs, Four o'clocks, Calliopsis, Indian Pinks, 

 Lupines, Sweet Sultans, Mignonette, Marigolds, Phlox Drum- 

 mondi. Poppies, Sunflowers, and Sweet Peas. Biennials and some 

 plants wanted for spring bedding such as Pansies, Violas, Myosotis, 

 Foxgloves, Canterbury Bells, and Sweet Williams are sown about 

 midsummer. Also autumn blooming greenhouse plants such as 

 Calceolarias, Schizanthus, and Cinerarias. 



There is more trouble with seeds sown indoors than out. Abun- 

 dance of light and air as the seedlings come up will do much to ward 

 off the various fungoid diseases that attack young plants. The 

 same soil and conditions with regard to ventilation and shade will 

 not do for all. Generally as seeds germinate they are to be shifted 

 to cooler quarters to harden them off. The seedlings must be 

 pricked off as soon as large enough to handle. W^ith outdoor seeds 

 all that is necessary is to see that they have plenty of water. 



We frequently find seedlings of berried and fruit-bearing plants 

 growing where the seeds have been dropped by birds. It is, there- 

 fore, quite natural to consider fruit to be eaten first in the natural 

 distribution of plants by birds. So if berried seeds are to be sown 

 as soon as ripe it will be better to wash them out in order to simu- 

 late this natural process, though sometimes when seeds are strati- 

 fied, a process described further on, the natural process of decay 

 does practically the same thing. 



We are accustomed to expect seeds to germinate in a month or 

 two. The majority do but many tree and shrub seeds do not and 

 some must go through a period of freezing to have them germinate. 



