40 FAMILIAR GARLEN FLOWERS. 



the leaves to become spotted, the growth rank, and the 

 liowers few, while continued damp in winter is fully as fatal 

 as frost to them. The high delight of the amateur who 

 has taken in hand this class of plants for special treatment 

 is to be found in the raising of seedlings. Oh, it is a rare 

 pleasure to see a house full of seedlings just beginning to 

 declare themselves in their first flowers as candidates for 

 fame — or for the rubbish-heap ! And to raise seedlings 

 is an easy matter. The simplest mode of procedure is to 

 take seed from the very best sorts that can be obtained, and 

 sow it in a gentle heat in the month of March. The plants 

 may be pricked off into thumb-pots, and afterwards, when 

 large enough, be potted into 60 size, and again potted on 

 into 48 size. The proper soil for them is a sweet, sandy 

 loam, and all the better if from old meadow turf that has 

 been laid up a year to break down the fibre ; but any fairly 

 good soil will answer with a liberal admixture of sand. 

 If the management is good, some of them will show their 

 flowers within a hundred days from the date of sowing 

 the seed. 



