D. M. FERRY & CO., DETROIT, MICH 71 



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A DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF 



CHOICE FLOWER SEEDS 



WITH GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR CULTIVATION 



MOST flowering plants will live in almost any soil, but to give them a fair chance to develop, some care 

 should be taken to make the ground suited to their needs. The soil best adapted for flowering plants 

 generally is a light, friable loam, containing a sufficient amount of sand to render it porous. Many 

 flowers are better if produced on plants of vigorous growth, hence a portion of the garden should be prepared 

 by deep digging, thorough pulverization and Uberal enriching with large quantities of well-rotted manure. 

 Since some other varieties produce the largest and finest colored flowers when grown on rather Hght, poor 

 soil, a portion of the garden should not be enriched. 



Cultural directions are given on the packets, and we urge purchasers to study them carefully. While 

 some seeds need special treatment, the following general rules will apply to all. Make the surface of the soil 

 as fine, smooth and level as possible; do not plant when the ground is wet; cover each lot of seeds to a uniform 

 depth, which should not be more than four to six times the diameter of the seed; press the soil firmly over 

 the seed; plant in rows so that the starting plants can be seen easily; thin out the young plants to prevent 

 crowding and keep entirely free from weeds. 



Very small seeds, such as Portulaca, Canterbury Bell, Foxglove, Petunia, etc., should be merely sprinkled 

 on the surface of the ground, after making it quite smooth with the back of the spade, and barely covered 

 with fine sifted, light, mellow soil and afterwards protected from the scorching sun and heavy rains by a cloth, 

 mat, or some green branches stuck around them. If the weather, after sowing, should be dry, it will be neces- 

 sary to water the places, where the seeds are sown, with a fine spray, regularly but slightly, every evening, 

 as it is essential that the seeds, during the process of germination, should be kept constantly moist. From 

 a neglect or oversight of this arise most of the failures. As the process of germination is shorter or longer 

 in the different kinds of seeds, the patience of the cultivator is often sorely tried with the seeds of a slowly 

 germinating character. 



Plants are usually divided into three classes. Annuals, Biennials and Perennials. Annuals are plants 

 which normally live but a single season. Biennials are plants living two years; particularly those which do 

 not bear flowers and fruit until the second season. Perennials tend to live from year to year. 



ALL FLOWER SEEDS SENT POSTPAID ON RECEIPT OF PRICE 



Send us $1.00 and select PACKETS to the value of $1,15 1 Send us $4.00 and select PACKETS to the value of $4.85 



2.00 " " " " 2.35 " 5.00 " " " " 6.15 



3.00 " " " " 3.60 I " 10.00 " " " " 12.50 



These Rates apply only to Seeds in Packets, but not to Seeds by Weight. 

 No discount can be allowed on Flower Seeds by Weight. 

 Half ounces will not be supplied of kinds which sell for less than 30 cents per ounce. 



A/*frkr>1iniiim (Everlasting) A very pretty, half hardy ' A l.*L These plants afford brilliant 



/^CrOCiiniUIIl annual producing white and rose colored, /\lTfl3.|f*p^,11 follS contrasts of color, being useful 



double daisy-like flowers, about one and one-half inches in ^ a*.*a*-*» «AaA«>a.A«A«7 ^^^ ^^^2^ borders, groups and 



diameter. Each flower-head is borne singly on a very long stem; foliage effects. The leaves and stems are of different shades 



leaves small, narrow, alternate. These are "Immortelles'' so of red, blended usually with green; two to three feet high, 



desirable for wreaths and winter bouquets. _ ^ ^, . Seed may be sown in open ground early in spring, covering 



Sow the seed m open ground early m sprmg, preferably m one-fourth inch deep; thin two to three feet apart, 

 light, well prepared soil, and cover with one-fourth mch of fine 



soil firmly pressed down. Thin the young plants to four inches Melancholicus ruber. Deep coppery red foliage; very hardy an- 



apart. Height fifteen inches. nual Pkt. 5c. 



Album. Pure white. Oz. 20c Pkt. 5c. Tricolor. A hardy annual with leaves of red, yellow and green; 



Roseum. Light rose. Oz. 20c. 5c. well known as "Joseph's Coat." Especially brilliant if grown 



Mixed. Seeds of the above varieties mixed. Oz. 20c... 5c. in rather poor soil. Oz. 30c Pkt. 5c. 



jk - A beautiful, hardy annual of neat 



/V Orf^y*^ Tl 1 m bushy habit. The attractive feathery Amakmoril^ Coronaria (Wind Flower) Among the 



^^^5^^* ********* flowers borne in dense clusters are .T^lldlUJllC earliest of spring flowers. They are about 



very useful for bouquets. Very desirable for outdoor bedding two inches across, with blue stamens, resemble the single poppy 



and borders, being covered with bloom nearly all summer. in shape and come in several shades of color. The foliage is 



Sow outdoors after danger from frost is over; or for earlier deeply cut. 



blooming start under glass and transplant. Cover the seed with Sow from April to August. Succeeds well in rich, light 



one-eighth to one-fourth inch of fine soil firmly pressed down. loam, in a sunny situation. Plants taken up in the fall will 



Mexicanum. Light blue; about two feet high. Oz. 30c. Pkt. 5c. bloom well in pots in the winter. Hardy perennial; outdoors 



Imperial Dwarf White. Height ten inches. Oz. 50c . . . . " 5c. about six inches high. Single Mixed Pkt. 5c. 



S!,reI'-Te^ror?So.^^fS-.,.M:;;;;;;;;;;;.^ :: t Arabis t^i,:^^^^^:-^^^!;^^^^ 



A V The annual varieties can be grown Some winter protection is advisable. Hardy procumbent 



/% |vT^O«1W% very readily either outdoors or in perennial. 



r^ 1 \t X^ a B 1 1 1 the house and by cutting back the ., . _, . , , ,, ,., .„ _ 



^^»jr <iy«^VSk*A* plants properly an almost constant Alpina. This sort has small pure white, cruciform flowers 



succession of bloom may be had. Seed can be sown in open Leaves rather slender, somewhat clasping, small-toothed and 



ground very early in spring, or may also be sown outdoorsin fall. pubescent Pkt. 5c. 



Sweet (Maritimum) This very hardy annual for borders, edg- JL The ornamental varieties of as- 

 ing or massing in small beds, comes into bloom early in the /\ 5^03.1*^.0^05 paragus are highly valued for their 

 spring, covering itself with clusters or trusses of small, pure * •'*'f^*** *^0 **** finely cut foliage. Both the climb- 

 white cruciform flowers. They have a peculiar, dehcate f ra- ing and trailing sorts are exceptionally attractive, 

 grance and are useful in small bouquets. Usually not over Soak seed in warm water before planting. When the plants 



eight inches high but spreading. Oz. 30c Pkt. 5c. are large enough to handle, transplant into rich, but open and 



Little Gem (Maritimum Compactum, Carpet of Snoiv) A triable soil, 



beautiful white sort for edgings, borders and rock work. The Sprengeri (Emerald Feather) A most graceful house plant; 



plants grow about six inches high, produce hundreds of flowers valuable for hanging baskets. Sprays three to four feet long; 



and form a compact mass of bloom usually fifteen to eighteen light green. Oz. 75c Pkt. 5c. 



inches across. Hardy annual. Oz. 50c. Pkt. 5c. Verticillatus. A beautiful climber with feathery foliage and 



ANTIRRHINUM— (-S^e Snapdragon) scarlet berries which are quite ornamental. Sow early in 



AQUILEQIA— (See Columbine) spring. Hardy perennial; ten to fifteen feet high. .. .Pkt. 10c. 



