388 THE NURSERY-MANUAL 



larkspurs, campanulas, achilleas, chrysanthemums, asters, heli- 

 anthuses, goldenrods, may be grown easily from seeds sown in the 

 open ground in spring. The plants should bloom the following 

 year. The sowing may be where the plants are eventually to 

 stand, but this means that the place will not be well utilized the 

 first year. It is usually preferable to raise the seedlings in spe- 

 cially prepared beds and to transplant in autumn or spring to 

 permanent quarters. Specially choice things should be handled 

 in pots and carried over winter in a frame, particularly if somewhat 

 tender to cold, heat and drought. Seeds of many early-bloom- 

 ing dry-fruited perennials germinate the same season, if planted 

 when ripe, but special care is often necessary to protect the young 

 plants over winter so they may not get a strong foothold. Usually 

 it is better to keep the seeds till the following spring. Seeds 

 of many perennials, particularly those borne in fleshy capsules or 

 berries, do not grow till they have passed the winter's frost, and 

 some of the woods things will not germinate till the second spring. 



In long-season climates, perennial seedlings may become so 

 large by Tall, if started early in spring, as to make preparations 

 for bloom and thereby so weaken themselves as to be liable to 

 winter-injury. This is true specially of those that tend to take on a 

 biennial character. 



Many of the florist's perennials are practically annuals under the 

 method of culture under glass, with the continuous growth. This 

 is true of the carnation, the florist's chrysanthemum, violets, 

 fuchsias, geraniums, and even of roses, counting the period from 

 cutting to bloom. Even from seed, the epoch may be condensed 

 into a year, as with tuberous begonias, gloxinias, cyclamens, 

 calceolarias, lupines, primulas. In nature the line between per- 

 ennials and plants of lesser duration is not always sharply drawn. 

 See Biennials and Annuals, pages 251, 231. 



With most herbaceous perennials, the best bloom is obtained 

 with young plants ; after the second bloom (or sometimes even 

 after the first) the plant may begin to fail or to become root- 

 bound. There are many exceptions to this, when plants grow 

 stronger and more floriferous for a series of years, as lilies, crown 

 imperial, peonies, dictamnus. Only by experience of oneself or 

 others can one determine these differences ; and the distinctions 

 are likely to vary in different climates and soils. 



The practice of growing perennials from seeds should be en- 

 couraged. One knows a plant better and cares more for it if one 



