62 MAKING OF A FLOWER GARDEN 



where a mass of solid color is desired. But for per- 

 fection and size of bloom there is nothing to equal the 

 single, large flowering petunias, the Giants of Cali- 

 fornia and the Ruffled Giants. These should be found 

 indispensable to every complete flower garden. But 

 if one desires to grow notable flowers of these giant 

 strains one must be sure that the seed purchased is 

 the best obtainable and to insure this one must pay 

 a price that will guarantee it, certainly not less than 

 twenty-five cents a packet, and give the seed a little 

 extra care, planting it in shallow flats set in the warm 

 greenhouse, hotbed or a warm window, and not allow 

 them to suffer from too dry or too wet a soil or too 

 hot a sun, or the lack of it. Prick out the little seed- 

 lings as soon as large enough to handle, into other 

 flats, setting them an inch or more apart each way 

 and transplant agaia when they begin to crowd. Do 

 not discard the tiny, weak ones, as these are quite 

 often the choicer sorts, but when the plants are a few 

 inches high and long before they begin to show buds 

 the siaperior sorts are easily distinguished by the 

 stockier branches and heavier, curlier leaves — indeed 

 there is as much difference between the plants of the 

 large flowering sorts and the common small bedding 

 plants as there is between the flowers. 



A very satisfactory and rather uncommon bedding 

 plant which from its many good qualities and ease 

 of culture should be more in evidence in our gar- 



