THE PETUNIA. il 
The systematic crossing of a few distinct species of 
petunia bas resulted in the production of a number of 
splendid varieties, which are invaluable as garden plants. 
The showy single white, purple, and striped kinds may 
be raised from seed sown on a hot-bed in March, and 
if plinted out in May will flower superbly as the season 
advances. ‘Treated in this way, the petunia is one of the 
cheapest and grandest of annuals, and as it makes a 
sumptuous bed, the owner of a country garden may turn 
it to good account, especially where the soil is hot and 
sandy, for this suits the plant perfectly. The double 
varieties make magnificent pot plants, and require precisely 
or nearly the same treatment as geraniums, the two grand 
points in their management being to train them with care 
and keep them short and leaty to the bottom. They 
require a light rich soil, and to be safe from all extreme 
conditions, more especially from extreme heat, for when 
unduly forced they become infested with vermin, and if 
they eannot be quickly cleansed by means of tobacco smoke, 
they may as well be destroyed, for when they have once 
gone wrong to any serious extent they never recover. 
Reasonable care, however, will prevent any such mishap, 
and, as remarked above, the matter of main importance 
is to guard against extreme conditions. It is especially 
worthy of remark that the petunia is more hardy than the 
geranium, perhaps even a trifle more hardy than the 
caleeolaria ; hence it may be planted out somewhat early 
in May if the weather is cloudy and genial, and if the 
as with a little care in 
plants escape harm from frost 
sheltering they will—they will soon make a free growth 
and shake off any trace of aphis or other insect pest they 
may have been troubled with, and make an early and 
