CULTURAL DIRECTIONS. 



Abutilon — (Bell Flower.) — Perennial. Sow in shallow 

 boxes in a temperature of 60 degrees. Transplant into 

 similar boxes or into small pots when the seedlings are 

 fit to handle. Plant out in May, or for later flowers 

 sow in the open ground in May. For winter or spring 

 flowering sow in August or September. 



Abrus — (Crab's Eye Vine.) — Thrives best in sandy 

 loam. Seed requires bottom heat to germinate well 

 and strong heat to keep in a growing condition to 

 flower well. 



Acroclinium — rialf Hardy Annual Everlasting. — 

 Thrive best in a loamy soil and constitute very neat 

 summer flowering annuals if sown out of doors in 

 patches in June; they are also useful as winter dec- 

 orative green house plants if seed is sown in August 

 in pots placed in a cold frame. The flower beads 

 should be gathered when young to preserve them. 



Ageratum — Hardy Annual — Start the seed under glass 

 and transplant two feet apart. 



Alyssum — Hardy Annual — Most effective if planted 

 in masses one foot apart, as early in the spring as 

 possible, in the open ground. 



Ambrosia — Hardy Annual — One of the easiest plants 

 to grow, seed may be sown early in the .open ground. 



Ancbusa Capsensis — Hardy Perennial — If sown early, 

 blooms the first season, growing freely in shady situa- 

 tions. 



Antirrhinum — (Snapdragon.) — Tender Perennial. No 

 better plant could be chosen for house cultivation than 

 the snap dragon (Antirrhinum). It has dark foliage 

 and bright, oddly shaped flowers. There are six or 

 eight distinct colors. Set in four or five inch pots, 

 one plant in each pot, in any good garden soil, mixed 

 with a little well-rotted stable manure they can 

 hardly fail to give satisfaction. Give them all the 

 sunlight possible, and water once each week with 

 a little liquid manure. They may be propagated by 

 slips, by layering or from seed. 



Arabis Alpina — Hardy Perennial. One of the easiest 

 possible culture in any dry soil. Seed may be sown 

 outside early in spring, or in pans or boxes when they 

 can be transplanted to a shady border. 



Aster — Half Hardy Annual. * Sow in boxes, in the 

 house, the last of April, or in open ground, in May; 

 transplant to one foot apart, in deep rich soil. 



Aquilegia — (Columbines.) — Hardy Perennial. They 

 prefer a moist and sheltered situation, with exposure 

 to the sun and require a good friable sandy loam 

 and leaf soil, with good drainage. Sow seeds thinly, 

 in pans or cold frame, when up and strong enough 

 to remove, the seedlings may be planted out when 

 they are in bloom, allowing every plant at least nine 

 inches each way. 



Balsam — (Lady Slipper.) — Tender Annual. The soil 

 in which they are sown should be of the richest pos- 

 sible character; the plants should be set 15 inches 

 apart securely staked, and receive frequent waterings 

 of manure water. In order to have the finest double 

 Balsams, plants must be transplanted from the seed- 

 bed. If sown where plants are to bloom, they will be 

 semi-double to a large extent. 



Balsam Apple — (Momordica.) — Annual Climber. Well 

 adapted for trellises, arbors, etc., in a warm situation 

 outside, and in a rich, light soil. Plenty of water 

 should be given during the growing period. 



Bachelor's Button — Hardy Annual. Sow in open 

 ground in May or first of June; transplant to six 

 inches apart. 



Beans, Scarlet Runner— The Tender Annual Climber. 

 Do not plant until settled warm weather and the 

 ground is in good condition. They require same treat- 

 ment as common garden beans. In planting, be care- 

 ful to place the eye of the bean DOWN. 



Begonia — (Tuberous Rooted Varieties.) — These mag- 

 nificent varieties have become exceedingly popular and 

 can be grown from seed. They germinate well and it 

 only requires a little care to grow the plants. Sow 

 seed in February or March in pots on a surface of 

 fine soil, and cover with glass. Take great care not 

 to wash out the young plants in watering; they will 

 give an abundance of bloom the first year. At the 

 end of the season the plants may be dried off by with- 

 holding water, the tubers gathered and kept in a dry 

 place, free from frost, and planted the following 

 spring, when they will bloom more freely than ever. 

 Tubers are offered for sale by some, but they are 

 very expensive, and a single packet of seed, if prop- 

 erly handled, will furnish what would cost many 

 dollars. 



Begonia — (Fibrous Rooted.)— From the seed sown in 

 February or March, and with generous treatment, 

 plants may be gathered within six months. Sow 

 again in July or .August for spring aud early sum- 

 mer flowering. A tenaperature of about 65 degrees ia 

 necessary, well drained pots, and a good mixture of 

 soil. Prick off the seedlings while quite small, and 

 shift on as the pots become filled with roots. As 

 begonia seed is slow and irregular in germinating, 

 tli.' -.,,wing should be thin, so that seedlings can be 

 lifted without disturbing the adjacent seed. 



Bellis— (Double Daisy.) — Half Hardy Perennial. Sow 

 in May and transplant eight inches apart. 



Bird of Paradise — (Poinciana Gillesi.) — Ornamental 

 j Shrub. Seed being large and hard, should be soaked 

 for a few hours in lukewarm water before planting 

 in box in house. Give gentle bottom heat if possible. 

 I A mixture of loam and leaf mould suits it best. Cut- 

 tings are somewhat difficult to root, but will succeed 

 if taken off the mother plant in a growing state and 

 planted in sand, with a hand glass placed over them 

 in heat. 



Blue Daisy — (Agathaea Coclestis.)— Perennial. Al- 

 lied to Cineraria and requiring the same treatment. 

 I Young cuttings root freely in a gentle heat, at all 

 times, and the plant may be had in flower all the 

 year round. 



Clematis — (Paniculata.) — Sow out of doors after dan- 

 ger from frost is over, in beds of finely pulverized 

 soil, covering the seeds to a depth of not over four 

 times their size; thin out as it becomes necessary. 

 Transplant into permanent position as soon as the 

 seedlings are large enough, so that they can become 

 established before cold weather, or sow in the early 

 fall, carrying the plants over in cold frames, and 

 transplant to permanent position in spring. 



Calceolaria — Seeds of Greenhouse Plants, especially 

 Calceolaria, require extra care in sowing, as the seeds 

 are very fine and delicate. The pans must be well 

 drained, say half filled with crocks, and on this a layer 

 of rough fibrous peat or turf, and fill up with a com- 

 post of the following proportions: Two-thirds light, 

 rich loam, one-third peat, silver sand and thoroughly 

 decayed cow manure, the whole thoroughly well mixed 

 together. Make the surface as smooth as possible 

 and sprinkle a little silver sand over it; water with 

 a fine hose; after the pans have thoroughly drained, 

 the seed must be very evenly and thoroughly sown — 

 it will require no covering. After sowing place the 

 pans under a glass in close frame (it will require 

 no artificial heat), keep shaded, as exposure for a 

 short time to the sun's rays is often enough to scorch 

 the delicate leaves and rootlets of the seedlings. 

 Directly the plants are large enough to handle they 

 must be pricked into other pans which have been 

 prepared in the same manner as for seed sowing, and 

 allowed to grow until they touch each other, then 

 shifted into small pots, and replaced in the close 

 frame; as soon as the roots fill these pots it will be 

 necessary to repot in larger sizes. They will now 

 do. if replaced in frames or put on shelves in tho 

 greenhouse near the glass; water regularly, repot and 

 shake when required. If troubled with green fly, 

 select a quiet evening and fumigate with tobacco 

 paper. These remarks will apply also to cultivation 

 of the Cineraria, Chinese Primrose. Carnations, and 

 many other rare seeds, except that they are more 

 hardy and will thrive with less care. The seed- 

 being larger will require a light covering of finely 

 pulverized soil. 



Calendula — Hardy Annual. Sow in boxes early or in 

 open ground in May or June; transplant to one foot 

 apart. 



Calliopsis or Coreopsis — Hardy Annual. Sow where 

 they are to remain, and thin to two feet apart. 



Campanula — (Canterbury Bells.) — Hardy Biennial. 

 Very attractive border plants; they succeed best in 

 light, rich soil, and should be transplanted two feet 

 apart. 



Canna — Tender Annual. Soak the seeds half an hour 

 in hot water before sowing. Plant in a warm place 

 the middle of April, or open ground only after it is 

 quite warm, the first of June. Transplant to one 

 foot apart in rich soil. 



Candytuft — Hardy Annual. Seeds should be sown 

 where plants are to bloom in fall or early spring: any 

 good soil is suitable; thin out to four or five inches 

 apart. 



Canary Bird Flower — Tender Annual (See Nastur- 

 tiums for cultural directions). 



Carnation — (See Calceolaria for cultural directions)* 



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