26 DREER'S GARDEN CALENDAR. 



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 possible, and when the weather is pleasant, some air may be admitted. 

 As soon as the plants are large enough to handle, pick them out of the 

 seed-pot; in other words, transplant them into another pot, placing 

 them about one inch apart; they must be shaded for a few days from 

 the sun, until they are established; when large enough, they can be 

 planted separately into small pots, and kept thus until the proper season 

 for planting out in the garden. 



BIENNIALS. — These do not usually bloom until the second season 

 after sowing. They may be sown out of doors, at least those that are 

 hardy, while a few very desirable ones had better be sown in pots. The 

 following are among the most desirable: — Wall-flower, Foxglove, Pinks, 

 Sweet William, Antirrhinum, Hollyhock, Larkspur, Canterbury, Bell, 

 and others. 



CLIMBERS, for garden decoration, should be sown in January, 

 February, and March, the earlier the better, as the display for the after 

 season will be in proportion to their early vigor for planting out; such 

 as Cobcea, 3faura?idia, Lophosphermwn, Calampalis (Eccremocarpus) and 

 Tropoeolum of sorts. 



CLEMATIS species, amongst hardy shrubs, and PENTSTEMON, 

 amongst herbaceous plants, are prominent instances of seeds which 

 remain long dormant, often a whole year, before they grow, hence the 

 importance of sowing them as soon as ripe. 



Another class often fail to germinate in consequence of the thick- 

 ness or hardness, of the outer skin or integument. We have had seeds 

 of the Erythrina and Canna for months in the ground perfectly dor- 

 mant, which upon being soaked in hot water for one week have germi- 

 nated finely. 



ABRONIA UMBELLATA and MARTYNIA FRAGRANS belong to 

 that class of seeds that often fail to germinate unless the tough skin 

 or integument that enwraps the interior germ be carefully peeled off 

 with a knife. 



It should be borne in mind, that much of the disappointment that 

 occurs in the sowing of Flower seeds may be obviated by attention to 

 the foregoing hints. 



In the following list we have included all the really desirable novel- 

 ties, as well as the standard varieties which have been fully tested in 

 this vicinity. 



