Floral Culture 



By MISS C. H. LIPPINCOTT, Hudson, Wis. 



THE PIONEER SEEDSWOMAN OF AMERICA. 



JANUARY 19 11 



Flower Seeds. 



There are no more satisfactory flowers in the gar- 

 den than those grown from seed, especially the easily 

 grown and brilliant flowered annuals. The beautiful 

 shrubs and lilies, of course, have their place, but are 

 far more expensive than a paper of seed which will 

 furnish a large number of plants with usually enough 

 for one's garden and some to spare. 



It is important to study the garden before selecting 

 the flowers that are suitable for it, and the choice of 

 flowers should comprehend the height of the plant, the 

 time of blooming, and the annual or perennial class of 

 the flower. Usually the tall plants go next to the 

 house or the wall, with the shorter kinds in front and 

 the low-growing varieties for the border. 



While the old-fashioned flowers are still popular, new 

 and improved varieties are always to be desired. 



It is usually best to sow the seed of annuals early in 

 the year, and the seed should be on hand in January 

 or February if possible. 



Many flowers can be planted in the fall for early 

 blossoms in the spring. This is peculiarly so with 

 Sweet Peas and Pansies. Some biennials and peren- 

 nials can be sown in August or September, and made 

 to bloom the following summer. This is especially 

 true of such flowers as Hollyhocks and Foxgloves. 



It is best in practically all instances to start the 

 seed in boxes, preferably a box about 18x24 inches 

 and 4 inches deep, using very sandy soil that will not 

 bake, and provide for drainage by boring some holes 

 in the bottom of the box. It is best not to put any 

 fertilizer in the seed-box, since it is only necessary to 



bring the plants to the third or fourth leaf, when they 

 should be pricked out and reset in another box, in 

 which the soil should be loam mixed with leaf-mold. 

 It is important that the plant be of good size, strong 

 and sturdy, when finally transplanted in the garden. 



If the seed be sown directly in the garden, it should 

 be sown in the spring after the soil is well worked 

 and fertilized. A slight depression should be made 

 with a stick, the seed sown, and then covered with 

 sharp sand about twice the depth of the diameter of 

 the seed. The sand will prevent the crusting over of 

 the soil after watering. 



When up, the plants must be thinned from two to 

 twelve inches, depending on the variety, otherwise they 

 will be weak and spindly. It is a common mistake in 

 the garden to leave the plants altogether too thick. 

 Always keep the weeds out. 



With a little study of the garden and the colors and 

 habits of the flowers, a beautiful garden can be bad 

 from the use of flower seeds at very little cost. 



Annuals — Bloom first year from seed and plant dies 

 after one season. 



Biennials — Bloom second year from seed and plant 

 dies after second year. 



Perennials — Bloom secoud year from seed and plant 

 lives and blooms for several vears. 



frost, 

 frost 



Tender — Means plant will not stand the least 

 Half Hardy — Means plant will stand a little 

 and needs protection. 



Hardy — Means plants will stand considerable frost 



Please Read These Suggestions 

 Carefully. 





THE SIZES OF PLANTS furnished by me are, in all 

 instances, as large as can be advantageously forwarded 

 by mail. The roses and greenhouse plants are strong, 

 thrifty, well established stock from 2V 2 inch pots. The 

 shrubs and climbing plants are healthy, thrifty stock 

 propagated the spring previous. 



GUARANTEE— We are often asked whether we guar- 

 antee our plants to live. No, we do not. This is a 

 matter which depends mostly upon the care and treat- 

 ment they receive after reaching destination. But, ex- 

 cept when ordered sent so early in the season as to be 

 in clanger of freezing, we will guarantee the pbtnts to 

 be packed so as to reach destination in good condition. 



We cannot, however, be responsible for injury by freez- 

 ing if the plants are ordered to be sent too early, for 

 even the most careful packing cannot always guard 

 against that. 



THE SHIPPING SEASON— The climbing vines, flow- 

 ering shrubs and fruit plants must be sent out while in 

 a dormant condition, that is, before they commence to 

 leaf out. Orders for these items, therefore, should 

 reach us by the middle of April at the latest. Orders 

 for roses and greenhouse plants can be filled up to the 

 first of June. We will send out all plants during the 

 first mild weather after receipt of the orders, unless 

 special time is mentioned. 



