82 GARDENING FOB PLEASURE. 



of the plants or bulbs referred to will dwindle or die if 

 long kept in a low temperature, and hence it is important 

 that amateurs should remember that they ought not to 

 attempt the cultivation of these plants unless they have 

 the means of steadily keeping up the necessary high tem- 

 perature. For that reason we recommend that they should 

 not be started before May, as then they run less risk of 

 being chilled. 



What is true of tropical bulbs or plants is equally so of 

 tropical seeds. Those who have not had experience, or 

 who have not the means of keeping up the necessary 

 high temperature, should not sow the seeds of tropical 

 plants before April 1st. Of vegetable seeds, the best 

 known of this class are the Tomato, Pepper, and Egg 

 Plant. I know they are often started in March in hot- 

 beds or greenhouses with satisfactory results ; but let any 

 one try the experiment of sowing on March 1st and on 

 April 1st, and note the result in the earliness of the crops 

 from the two sowings, and he will find that the chances 

 are that the last will be first. If it were always practica- 

 ble to keep the necessary temperature steadily along, the 

 first sown would be the first ; but this is often very dif- 

 ficult to accomplish, while there is but little difficulty 

 with the later sowing, as assistance is then given by 

 the increasing outside temperature. For this reason 

 seeds of tropical annual flowers, such as Amaranths of 

 all kinds, Balsams, Salvias, Double Portulacas, Cannas, 

 Coxcombs, Zinnias, etc., should not be sown before April 

 in the hot-bed, or, if in the open ground, in this latitude, 

 not before May loth. 



