$ucce55 wilL Flower S^^5- 



Provided the soil is in a proper state, flower seeds may be sown 

 in the open border in the months of April and May. The 

 seeds should be sown as soon as the soil becomes dry and easily 

 crumbled, after the spring frosts have disappeared. Care 

 should be taken not to sow in a crowded border, as light and air 

 are indispensable. They may also be sown in prepared beds of 

 light, rich soil, and transplanted into the garden. The former 

 is the more simple method, but not always as satisfactory. The 

 better is to sow all fine seeds under glass in a greenhouse, hot- 

 bed, or in the house. As to the depth to which seeds should 

 be covered, the best general rule is to cover fine seeds very 

 lightly, just enough to protect them from the sun; and in ex- 

 tremely dry weather a sprinkling of damp moss is very useful. 

 With very fine seeds it is best to sow on the surface, and press 

 them slightly into the soil. We are convinced that one of the 

 most frequent causes of failure is in sowing the seeds too deep, 

 and seedsmen are unjustly censured, when the fault lies with 

 the cultivator. 



For sowing seeds, shallow boxes 2 to 3 inches deep, and 

 covered with a light of glass and with open seams at the bot- 

 tom, so that the water can drain through quickly, are best. 

 {These we keep in stock all ready for use.) The best soil is a 

 mixture of equal parts of sand, leaf-mould, and light, rich gar- 

 den loam, which should be thoroughly mixed and passed 

 through a coarse sieve ; then fill your pots, pans, or boxes 

 within half an inch of the rim ; press the soil firmly and evenly. 

 If the soil is dry it is best to water freely a day or two before 

 sowing the seed, to enable the surplus water to drain off. After 

 they are sown cover slightly with fine soil, carefully water with 

 a fine roso or spray dampener, to settle the soil. When they 



are designed to be grown in the house, the temperature should 

 be as near 60 degrees as possible ; place them in a light window 

 facing south or east. 



The importance of uniform attention to watering may be 

 best learned by experience and observation, but the inexpe- 

 rienced cultivator may be reminded that to omit a single watering 

 and allow the young plant-germs from seed to remain in a 

 parched state, or a too frequent indiscriminate watering, usually 

 leads to the eventual loss of the whole. As soon as the plants 

 appear, they will require careful attention, as the least over- 

 watering may cause them to " damp off," and suddenly destroy 

 all your hopes. They should now have as much sun as pos- 

 sible, and when the weather is pleasant some air may be ad- 

 milted. As soon as the plants are large enough to handle, 

 prick them into other boxes or pots, placing them about 1 inch 

 apart each way ; they must be shaded for a few days from the 

 sun, until they are established. When large enough they can be 

 potted in small pots, and kept until the proper season for plant- 

 ing in the garden. 



The germination of many hard seeds, especially among 

 greenhouse or hot-house species, which are almost impervious to 

 moisture, is greatly accelerated by pouring warm water over 

 them, or soaking them over night in camphorated water, and 

 then sowing. Thus treated, the young plants appear in a few 

 weeks; but without such treatment they often lie dormant many 

 months. The varieties of Acacia, Erythrina, Canna and 

 Smilax are the most prominent of this class. 



Climbers, for garden decorations, should be sown in 

 February and March, the earlier the better, as the display in 

 season will be in proportion to their early vigor. 



Calceolaria and Primula are types of a class that re- 

 quire entirely different treatment ; to insure success they should 

 be sown in pots or boxes half filled with rough siftings; on 

 this put two inches of fine compost, and sift over this a top- 

 dressing of the same material, using a .fine sieve. Sow the 

 seed on the surface and press gently in, using a flat surface. 

 Sprinkle with a fine rose ; cover with a pane of glass, and keep 

 shaded from the sun. The surface should be kept damp, and 

 the pots or boxes kept in a moist, warm temperature. As soon 

 as the seedlings are strong enough they must be potted in small 

 pots, in soil prepared as before, and kept in the same situation 

 until well established. 



WHY SEEDS F^lIL. 



From a conviction that the Seedsman's fair reputation is often unjustly defamed, through the failure of seeds, we would 

 briefly state some of the causes. 



Some cultivators, through ignorance or forgetfulness of the fact that the products of a garden, being natives of various soils 

 and climates, require peculiar management, sow the seeds in the ground at improper seasons. To aid such we have prepared 

 brief directions, founded on practical experience in the vicinity of Philadelphia, where gardening operations are generally com- 

 menced early in March. These directions may, however, be applied to all other parts of the United States, by an observance of 

 the difference in temperature. Thus, to the North, the directions for March will apply to April; and at the South to January, 

 February or whatever season gardening operations may commence in the respective States. The early and most hardy species and 

 varieties should not be planted until the ground can be brought into good condition, as some species of plants, that in an advanced 

 stage of growth will stand a hard winter, are often cut off by a very slight frost while young, especially if exposed to the sun 

 after a frosty night. 



Some species of seed, such as Beans, Beet, Cabbage, Lettuce, Radish, Salsify, Turnip, etc., being from their nature apt to 

 vegetate quickly, are often destroyed while germinating through variableness of the weather, and some are liable to be devoured 

 by insects in forty-eight hours after they are sown, and before a plant is seen above the ground, unless a suitable remedy is applied 

 in time to destroy the insects. 



Other species, such as Carrots, Celery, Leek, Onion, Parsley, Parsnip, Spinach, etc., being naturally of tardy growth, take 

 (in unfavorable seasons) from two to three or four weeks to vegetate, are apt to perish through incrustation of the soil, or other 

 untoward and unaccountable circumstances, which cannot always be controlled. 



Failures often occur through seeds being deposited too deeply in the ground, or left too near the surface. Sometimes, for the 

 want of a proper quantity of seed in a given spot, solitary plants will perish, they not having sufficient strength to open the pores 

 of the earth, and very frequently injudicious management in over manuring and improperly preparing the soil causes defeat. 



In some sowings of seed made during dry weather, with a drought following, a total failure often occurs from neglecting to 

 firmly press or roll in the seeds, so that when they germinate the action of the heat and drought may not affect the germ. We are 

 satisfied that thousands of pounds of Turnip, late Cabbage and other summer-sown seeds are annually lost from this neglect. 

 Never tread or roll in the seeds when the ground is wet. 



Do not raise Egg Plants, etc., in the same hot-bed with Cabbage, and other half-hardy plants that require air every mild day, 

 •by such management one or the other must suffer — heat being the principal requisite of tender plants, and air that of the more 

 hardy varieties. 



(3) 



