SPRING FLOWERS FROM SEED. 



answering well ; , keep properly supplied with 

 water, and shade lightly from strong sunshine. 

 On no account subject these auriculas to fire-heat, j 

 and finally plant out in a cool position. 

 Myosotis. — The best of the forget-me-nots for spring 

 bedding are M. dissitiflora, blue, and M. d. alba, 

 white. These come true from seed, are of a com- 

 pact habit of growth, and flower grandly early in 

 the year. The seed should be sown during the 

 first fortnight in June, not later unless early 

 sowings are partial failures, either in boxes of 

 good soil or on a well-prepared, partially -shaded 

 border, but not under trees. Moisten the soil, if 

 needed, prior to sowing thinly, and scatter the seeds 

 broadcast, covering lightly with fine sifted soil. 

 If sown in boxes, these may be either set in a cool 



Fig. 91. Raising 

 a, Plant sj 



position outdoors, covered with glass and shaded, 

 or in a cold frame. The seed germinates readily 

 in moist soil in the open ground, but in some 

 seasons seedlings can be taken better care of 

 when in boxes. Before they crowd and spoil each 

 other, transplant them in nursery beds in which 

 leaf soil has been freely forked, disposing them 

 3 inches apart, and give a gentle watering. If 

 hot and dry weather prevail, shade lightly and 

 sprinkle them every evening ; also give an 

 occasional heavy watering to soak below the roots. 

 From these nursery beds the greater portion will 

 have to be moved to the reserve garden or other 

 plots of well-prepared ground in a moderately 

 cool position, disposing them 6 inches apart in 

 rows from 10 to 12 inches asunder. 



Seedlings fob Transplanting. 

 ailed ; b, as it should be. 



Seedlings are generally raised too thickly, and 

 when they come to be moved, are spindled and 

 weakly, as shown in Fig. 91 , a. Such are slow in 

 recovering from the check of removal, and seldom 

 become so sturdy and floriferous as is desirable. 

 When the seed is sown thinly sturdy plants 

 result, and these are soon large enough to move 

 direct to the reserve garden, ultimately develop- 

 ing into stocky, strongly-rooted, serviceable 

 plants similar to that illustrated (at b). 

 Pansies. — Such effective varieties for bedding as 

 Cliveden Blue, Cliveden Yellow, Imperial Blue, 

 King of Blacks, and modern improvements on 

 these old favourites, come true from seed, and if 

 this is sown in June or early in July in 

 boxes, or in the open damp borders, most of it 



will germinate. Moisten the soil prior to sowing 

 thinly broadcast, and cover lightly. When the 

 seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant 

 them 4 inches apart, and do not let them suffer 

 by want of water. Transfer to the beds in the 

 autumn, and they will flower profusely in the 

 spring. Mixed varieties of pansies with large 

 many-coloured flowers may be raised in the same 

 way, and the Belgian or fancy kinds produce an 

 extremely gay effect early in the year. 

 Primroses and Polyanthuses. — For all ordinary or 

 bedding-out purposes seedlings of these are prefer- 

 able to plants obtained by dividing old stock. 

 Beds of seedling polyanthus make a grand feature 

 in some gardens during April and May, while prim- 

 roses are equally effective as edging plants, these 



