22 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



Some perennials of slower germination are anemones, aeonitums, 

 dictamnus, trollius, some eupatoriums, some primulas and liliums, 

 which latter are bulbous but are popular subjects in the hardy 

 flower border. The varieties of slow germination are better sown 

 in the fall when the seed is ripe and fresh; it will do no harm to 

 allow the soil to freeze over winter, but the flats or seed beds 

 should be mulched with dry leaves, tight sashes being placed over 

 these. 



Rock or alpine plants have become immensely popular the last 

 two or three years and deservedly so; this is one of the most 

 fascinating types of gardening, and a large proportion of the plants 

 adaptable for rock gardens can be raised from seed, while many 

 germinate very readily. Others are quite slow, occasionally 

 requiring one or even two years to start. Some of those which 

 appear quickly above ground are alyssums, aubrietias, arabis, 

 campanulas, dianthus, arenarias, violas, many sedums, many 

 primulas, potentillas, tunicas, geums, leontopodiums, androsaces, 

 myosotis, cheiranthus, linarias, veronicas, and geraniums. Seed 

 of rock plants can be sown in flats, or pans in a greenhouse, or in 

 very shallow drills 6 inches apart in cold frames. I like to bake 

 the soil for covering the seeds; this kills out all weed seeds and 

 fungoid growths; it should be sifted over them through a fine 

 screen. Seedlings if pricked out into other cold frames when of 

 sufficient size and kept well watered can in the majority of cases 

 be safely planted out in September, and if lightly mulched will 

 winter perfectly, and bloom much better than the same stock 

 planted out the following spring. 



Coming to seeds of tender greenhouse plants, such varieties as 

 gloxinias, tuberous begonias, gesnerias, tydaeas, and others with 

 very fine seeds should be sown in pans of prepared compost as 

 recommended for petunias and other garden annuals. The greatest 

 care is necessary in sowing each of these; pans must be watered 

 before and not immediately after seed is sown, sheets of glass should 

 cover all pans, and paper or cloth be placed over this to exclude 

 sunlight and prevent drying out; gradually remove the coverings 

 as germination starts. Calceolarias have fine seeds and a fine 

 dusting of sand is all the covering they need ; over cinerarias should 

 be placed a little fine earth; the same is true of primulas. Cycla- 



