92 Mrs. Theodosia B. Shepherd's Annum, Catalogue 



PLANTING AND SEED GROWING 



Great care should be exercised in setting - out plants. Many choice 

 thing-s are lost by not being" planted firmly in the ground. Never set out 

 a plant when the soil is too wet, or it will pack; it should be mellow and 

 crumbly. The roots of plants should be spread carefully if without soil; 

 if balled, they should be loosened a little around the ball to induce them to 

 grow outward. After pulverizing- the soil around the plant, press it firmly 

 with the foot, after which water thoroughly and deep. When the water 

 has settled around the plant cover with dry soil. Watch it very caref ulty 

 until well established, and see that the soil does not become porous through 

 evaporation, and the air dry up the roots. Small plants should be carefully 

 shaded till established. When plants from pots are set in the ground, the 

 outer roots should be loosened to grow into the new soil, if packed against 

 a ball of matted roots, will prevent growth and cause the plant to die very 

 slowly. One of the most important thing's for growing- either seeds or 

 plants successully in the g-arden is the condition of the soil. The beds 

 should be spaded deep, the earth thoroughly broken up and raked through 

 and through, not just over the surface, as is so frequently done. Shading 

 should not be done when the earth is too dry or two wet; in one case it 

 breaks up into lumps, and in the other it packs. 



Seeds sown in the open ground should be planted in sallow drills and 

 covered lightly with soil, which must be pressed down firmly so as to 

 prevent the air from getting in, and thus drying the young plant when up. 

 The bed should be thoroughly sprinkled with a fine spray, shutting the 

 water off now and then that it may not wash the young- plants up. 

 The young seedlings, after they are up, must never be allowed to become 

 dry. The plants, if too thick, must be thinned out and every otie left have 

 room to develop well. Special seed beds may be prepared in the same way 

 as those outside, excepting that the soil should be mixed with soil and very- 

 well rotted manure; they should be enclosed by boards and shaded by 

 lath frames or cloth. 



Seeds of Mignonette, Eschscholtzia, Phlox, Centaureas, Marigolds, 

 Poppies of all kinds, and many of the more hardy varieties, may be planted 

 in the bed in which they are to grow. Sow them in February or March, 

 through they will grow and bloom if planted later, but the}- like cool 

 weather for luxuriant growth, and will not give it if planted late in the 

 season, nor will the flowers be as fine. 



Panstes, Asters, Carnations, Petunias, Salvias, Lobelias, Calliopsis, 

 Coleus, and the more tender seeds are best planted in special seed beds or 

 boxes, and afterwards transplanted to the garden or pots. Ipomea, 

 "Heavenly Blue" which is truly a heavenly thing, may be planted either 

 way, ;is it bears transplanting well; its time to go into earth is in April. 



