CULTIVATION. 



Flowering plants are from various parts of the world — temperate and tropi- 

 cal — and their habits are as various. Some are found on mountains, others in 

 rich moist valleys, and again on arid plains ; it follows that their treatment 

 must be very dissimilar, and that it is not in the province of a catalogue to give 

 any lengthened cultural directions. We will only offer a few general remarks 

 on seed sowing. 



In this latitude (Washington) nearly all the Hardy Annuals can be sown in 

 April, say from first to middle, considering the season and the condition of the 

 ground; whilst the more tender varieties — natives of warmer climates— should 

 not be committed to the ground before the middle of May. Such tender plants 

 as Double Zinnias, Clianthus Dampierii, Cypress Tine, &c, should not be sown 

 before the latter season, as they are natives of warm climates, and when sown 

 early, and the ground cold, they frequently perish. When this occurs, the 

 blame is of course placed on the seedsman ; when, had they been sown in proper 

 season, success would be certain. • 



Hardy Terennials. — The common and large seeded kinds may be sown in 

 the open borders any time in April, but the rare and more delicate species will 

 succeed with greater certainty if raised in a closed frame, with or without bot- 

 tom heat; thus treated, nearly all will flower the first season if sown early and 

 planted out the early part of May. All those with very small seeds should be 

 sown under glass. Amateurs will do well to bear in mind that though many 

 Perennial seeds vegetate as quickly as those of Annuals, there are some others 

 which usually remain dormant for weeks and even months ; to this class belong 

 the Cyclamens, Paeonies, Fraxinella, &c. Our native Perennials are best sown 

 in Autumn, or as soon as gathered, and they will then vegetate the following 

 spring. As this is not always practicable, the plan of steeping the seeds before 

 sowing, for twenty-four hours, may be adopted with great advantage in many 

 cases. Half-hardy Perennials require the same treatment as hardy Perennials, 

 differing only in their need of winter protection. 



Green-house and hot-house Seed need a moist, warm temperature, such as 

 the propagating-house or hot-bed frame. All seeds sown in frames or houses 

 require shading, in bright weather, during the middle of the day, especially as 

 spring advances. For all seeds sown in pots, under glass, a compost composed 

 of well-decomposed leaf mould, sand and sandy loam, will answer very well. 

 Sow very thinly; cover the seeds with about its own thickness of soil. After 

 germination has once commenced, the surface of the soil, on no account, should 

 be allowed to become dry. Very small seeds, such as Mimulus, Lobelia, Cal- 

 ceolaria, &c, should not be covered with soil, but be sprinkled thinly on the 

 soil, which should be previously watered from a fine rose. Chinese Primula 

 germinates best when covered with a layer of damp moss ; this seed often fails 

 to grow from being too deeply covered with soil, and many other failures are 

 attributable to the same cause. 



A writer in the "Garden," London, makes the following remarks on the ger- 

 mination of seeds : "I have, at the present time, two kinds of shrub seeds, 

 just appearing above ground, that have been sown, as nearly as possible, two 

 years. In the ordinary course of affairs, many people, not understanding their 

 nature, would have thrown them away at least eighteen months ago and blamed 

 their seedsman for sending them bad seeds. Primula Japonioa, if kept till spring, 

 or until it has become thoroughly dry, will not germinate for at least a year, 

 and sometimes two; and the same holds good in the case of many hardy plants." 



