SEED SOAVING SUGGESTIONS 23 



mens like a very light covering of fine sandy soil. The proper time 

 to sow gloxinias, begonias, and gesnerias is January; primulas 

 sinensis, obconica, and kewensis should be started in January or 

 February, but the beautiful and decorative P. malacoides not until 

 July; calceolarias and cinerarias can also be started in July and 

 cyclamens in August. Schizanthus, nemesias, calendulas, mignon- 

 ette, statices and other annuals for flowering under glass should be 

 sown in August and September, and snapdragons for early winter 

 flowering not later than May 15. All greenhouse seeds sown in 

 winter need a warm, moist house in which to germinate. 



Seeds of such palms as cocos, phoenix, kentia, and latania if 

 fresh usually germinate readily if sown in pans and plunged in a 

 brisk bottom heat in a warm house. Anthuriums want similar 

 treatment, but like to be sown in a mixture of chopped fern root 

 and sphagnum moss. Seeds of crotons, dracaenas, marantas, and 

 various tropical plants all need a brisk moist heat. Cannas have 

 very hard seeds and start better if some of the shell is cut with a 

 sharp knife, taking care not to cut the growing point; seeds should 

 be soaked in tepid water for 24 hours before sowing; moonflowers 

 need similar treatment. Sweet peas, especially light shelled 

 varieties, if trimmed with a knife also start better and this plan is 

 suggested for the more valuable varieties to be started under glass. 

 Cobaea scandens, a popular climber, germinates better if the seeds 

 are stood edgewise in the pots or pans. 



Orchid seeds require radically different treatment from those of 

 all other plants. Seed pods of cattleyas usually ripen about a year 

 after fertilization; a pod will contain anywhere from 200,000 to 

 500,000 seeds which are remarkably fine and light. All orchid seeds 

 germinate best if sown in spring; they are less certain if started in 

 summer or winter. I have had the best success with cattleyas, 

 laelio-cattleyas, and other bi-generic hybrids, also cypripediums, 

 by sowing the seeds on coarse bath towel or burlap stretched inside 

 a glass case, the same being damped before seeds are sown, or in 

 filling 4 inch pots with chopped fern fibre and over the tops laying 

 pieces of bath towel and tucking them closely down the inside edges 

 of the pots with a pointed stick, having the surface raised and well 

 rounded. Seed can be sown at the rate of 20,000 or more per 

 square inch ; sometimes none will germinate, the seed being barren. 



