The Garden Magazine, February, 1922 



321 



nected therewith. The frames extend along a picket fence; the 

 glass is hinged to the back of the frame and, when not required, 

 may be raised and fastened to the fence by means of hooks and 

 eyes. Thus lifting and moving the heavy lights is entirely 

 obviated. 



The soil is very carefully prepared, for the seed is sown di- 

 rectly in the frames, instead of in pots and pans as is generally 

 recommended. This saves several operations and, in my ex- 

 perience, has proved a more satisfactory method. The bottom 

 of the frame is lined with several inches of broken stone to insure 

 free drainage; next comes a layer of rotted sods and upon this 

 six or eight inches of very fine soil, one half sand, the other com- 

 posed of one part good loam from the garden and one part leaf- 

 mold, natural or commercial. The surface is made perfectly 

 level and a few hours before seed is sown the soil is watered 

 by means of a very fine spray. 



A narrow plank (an inch or so wide, cut to fit the depth of the 

 frame) lightly pressed upon the surface at intervals of three 

 inches serves to firm the soil where the seed is to be sown. This 

 should be very thinly scattered, and over it sifted a light covering 

 of soil — almost pure sand. Extremely fine seed requires but the 

 merest dusting of sand, larger kinds will need a little more. 

 Each line should be clearly labeled. When the soil has been 

 moistened before sowing, the freshly sown seed will not require 

 to be watered. 



The sash are placed closely over the frames until the seed 

 germinates and squares of matting used to exclude the light. 

 Seed of many of these plants germinates very slowly, and dis- 

 couragement should not be felt if weeks go by without the cheer- 

 ing appearance of little green backs heaving through the soil. 



Pinks, Alyssums, Aubrietias, Silenes, Arabis, Armerias, Cory- 

 dalis, Arenarias make their appearance, as a rule, quite smartly, 

 that is in about ten days, but the choice little Campanulas are 

 apt to be slow; and Anemones, Gentians, Primulas, Irises, An- 

 drosaces, Ramondia, Meconopsis may sorely try one's faith by 

 remaining dormant from three months to a year or two. These 

 very slow ones it is best to place in a frame to themselves so that 

 they can be left in peace and not disturbed by the removal of 

 earlier rising plants. 



As soon as there are signs of germination the lights are 

 propped up several inches to give free ventilation, and the mats 

 replaced by light screens made of lath fastened two inches apart 

 to top and bottom pieces. These are made to fit the frame 

 sections. As warm weather becomes settled the lights are 

 raised entirely, but the lath screens remain to protect the little 

 plants from the direct rays of the sun and the full force of the 

 summer showers. 



WATERING must at all times be done with the greatest 

 care. Indeed one thoughtless soaking may cause the loss 

 of a whole season's hopes. At no time must the soil be allowed 

 to dry out, for this spells catastrophe to the tiny plants; but 

 neither must it at any time be over-wet, or the dread fungus 

 known as "damping off" will result. 



Moreover, only the finest spray must be turned upon the 

 frames because the seed is in most cases so small that it is easily 

 washed from the soil, and the little plants themselves so fragile 

 as to be beaten down and injured by any but a light application. 



The spray from an ordinary watering can is too heavy and a 

 hose must never be used. The ideal implement is a long- 

 nosed English can with a fine rose spray. With this the 

 plants are showered with a delicate mist, vastly refreshing, and 

 in no wise dangerous to their fragile limbs, nor likely to over 

 soak the soil. 



When the plants are large enough to be easily handled, they 

 are transplanted into small beds especially prepared for them 

 near the frames. These are raised a few inches and the soil is 

 composed of about one part loam from the garden and one part 

 sand and small stone chips such as are used to top-dress roads. 

 Here the small tufts and rosettes and trailers remain until they 

 are of a proper size to take their places in the colony of the rock 

 garden. The lath screens are used to protect them from too 

 much sun and from the beating of heavy rains, and in very hot 

 weather the mats are also used to provide a comforting shadow. 



Plants that form tiny tufts, developing slowly — Armeria caes- 

 pitosa, Silene acaulis, many of the Saxifrages, for example — ■ 

 with any others that, through slow germination or late planting, 

 are not of a size to be exposed to the chances of winter out-of- 

 doors are allowed to remain in the frames. In wintering these 

 plants in the frames it must be remembered that one is not pro- 

 tecting them from cold so much as from the possibilities of mis- 

 chance generally. Here a light covering of leaves is scattered 

 over them when freezing weather sets in. The glass is usually 

 lowered about the first of November, but never closely even in 

 the severest weather, for fresh air is the very breath of life to 

 these little mountaineers. 



The following is a list of Alpines and rock plants that may 

 very easily be raised from seed. If the list is too long, those 

 indicated by the asterisk I recommend as very promising for a 

 beginner, and many of them are purchasable as plants. 



Achillea argentea, Clavennae, ser- 



bica*. 

 Aethionema grandiflorum, coridifo 



Iium, pulchellum*. 

 Alyssum saxatile citrinum*, monta- 



num. 

 Androsace sarmentosa. 

 Anthemis aizoon, montana*. 

 Aquilegia alpina, coerulea*, Helenae. 

 Arabis alpina rosea*, aubrietioides. 

 Arenaria caespitosa, montana*. 

 Armeria alpina*, caespitosa, maritima, 



setacea*. 

 Aubrietia, many vars*. 

 Campanula barbata*, carpatica, col- 



lina, garganica, mirabilis, muralis, 



pusilla*, Tommasiniana. 

 Cerastium tomentosum. 

 Cheiranthus Allioni*, linifolius. 

 Corydalis lutea, cheilanthifolia, ochro- 



leuca*. 

 Crucianella stylosa. 

 Dianthus arenarius*, brevicaulis, 



caesius*, deltoides*, gallicus, 



graniticus, monspessulanus, ne- 



glectus, sylvestris*. 

 Draba aizoides*. 

 Erigeron mucronatus. 

 Erinus alpinus*. 

 Erodium cheilanthifolium. 

 Erysimum pulchellum*. 



Geranium argenteum, cinereum*, 

 grandiflorum*, Endressi, Walli- 

 chianum. 



Geum montanum. 



Gypsophila repens*. 



Helianthemum, many vars. 



Houstonia coerulea. 



Iberis sempervirens. 



Iris arenaria, many other vars. 



Lavendula, dwarf. 



Linaria alpina. 



Linum alpinum*, salsoloides. 



Lychnis alpina*. 



Myosotis Ruth Fischer*, rupicola. 



Oenothera pumila. 



Papaver alpinum, nudicaule*, cauca- 

 sicum, rupifragum*. 



Polemonium humile, Richardsoni*. 



Potentilla calabra. 



Primula denticulata*. 



Saponaria ocymoides. 



Silene acaulis, alpestris*, Schafta. 



Symphyandra Hofmanni. 



Saxifraga, mossy vars. 



Stachys Corsica. 



Sedum, many vars. 



Sempervivum, many vars. 



Thalictrum minus. 



Tunica saxifraga. 



Viola cornuta*, gracilis, nigra. 





