Some of the best flowers of late winter were the wistarias and Indian azaleas, and of course the bulbs flowered in succession lots 
In the meantime a notable floral occasion 
in the glass house had taken place—two 
cinerarias raised from seed sown in August, 
and one pitiful rose had bloomed, and there 
was more real pride over those three plants 
than over all the others which did much better. 
The cinerarias underwent all the troubles 
usually attendant on their culture by an 
amateur—damping off, aphis, then a general 
scourge from too much nicotine as a cure for 
the aphis; the total result from a box of seed- 
lings was only two plants. 
HANDLING SMALL SEEDS 
Seeds of the greenhouse type of plant, such 
as primrose, cineraria, and calceolaria, may 
all be started in the usual way, in flats with 
window glass over the boxes to prevent too 
rapid evaporation of the moisture, but care 
must be taken to secure the right soil. Finely 
sifted woods earth, mixed with one third 
sandy loam, has proved a reliable combin- 
ation in which to germinate the seeds of these 
plants. To ensure good drainage put a layer 
of sharp sand and bits of broken crockery and 
charcoal in the bottom of the box. Charcoal 
and bird sand are invariable accompaniments 
of all my indoor gardening, and I always 
keep on hand a supply of both. Buying the 
regular bird sand provides this necessity in a 
neat and convenient form, and charcoal is, 
of course, available in most households. Its 
use answers the double purpose of drainage, 
and (as all good housewives know) absorbing 
impurities. 
A bulb syringe is indispensable for water- 
ing the soil before growth appears on the 
surface, and through all the earlier stages. 
WATERING AND REPOTTING 
After the seeds germinate, and the seed- 
lings have developed three or four leaves, 
transplant them to one and one-half inch 
pots, using about the same soil and drainage 
as in the flats, adding a small quantity of 
well-rotted cow manure. 
Watering these tender young plants is the 
next detail to be considered, and if you have a 
greenhouse bench, plunge the pots to the rims 
in sand. Water the seedlings when the soil 
in the pot seems to be drying out, but for the 
most part, water the sand around the pots, 
which will keep the roots sufficiently cool and 
moist, without danger of the dread ‘“‘ damping 
off.” If a bench is not at your disposal, fill 
a shallow box with sand. 
As the young plants grow and increase in 
size,repotting takes up the indoor gardener’s 
attention, and whether your seedlings grow 
on, unchecked and successful, or whether the 
roots grow too large and become pot bound 
before they are shifted to the next size, is 
largely a matter that depends on your own 
care and watchfulness. 
65 
Leaves make a growth relative to the under- 
growth, and when their spread seems out of 
proportion to the size of the pot, the right 
moment for transplanting has arrived. 
Prod gently with a pencil the piece of 
crockery covering the outlet of the flower pot; 
this loosens the earth on all sides, and the 
plant, a solid mass of roots and soil, may be 
easily slipped out and repotted in the nec- 
essary size. From seeds started in April, 
the plants may be set out of doors in frames 
in June, and grown cool as late as the 
weather permits in the autumn. 
TWO FLORAL ARISTOCRATS 
Chrysanthemums and roses, both flowers 
that we associate with luxury, are fittingly 
enough luxury loving plants, and to do their 
best, they must have sunshine, water, rich 
soil in abundance, and the best of drainage. 
The soil for chrysanthemums differs from 
the soil best adapted to roses, inasmuch as 
chrysanthemums need a good sandy loam, 
well enriched, with ‘‘short”” cow manure and 
wood ashes, while the rose requires a clay 
loam. It is a good plan to have a special 
place in a sunny frame for these aristocrats 
among flowers, one where their need for 
perfect drainage can be met by preparing a 
trench with a ‘layer of coal ashes in the 
bottom. When your plants are set out, 
place them on the ashes. 
