Dreer's Garden Cale7idai\ 39 



they will require your careful attention, as the least over-watering may cause them to "damp 

 oflV and suddenly destroy all your hoi>es. 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-pots or boxes, and transplant them into other pots or boxes, 

 placing them about 1 inch a])art each way; 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 until the proper season for planting out in the garden, when there is no further 

 danger of frost. 



^'ature bountifully provides for the reproduction of plants ; the difficulty of multiplvincr by 

 one method ij> counteracted by the ease in which it may be done in another way. " When 

 plants are difficult to make grow from cuttings or slips, we" generally find that they seed freely, 

 thus giving ample means for increase by that method, which is the'most natural way of repro- 

 ducing those varieties. For instance, "the much admired Centaureas, of the " Dustv Miller 

 class," or white silver-leaved plants, so extensively used for edging, massing, or baskets, which 

 are so difficult to grow from cuttings, are readily raised from seed ; there are numerous varieties 

 having the same nature which all Florists and 'Amateurs soon discover by experience. 



Annuals are plants that arrive at perfection, bloom, produce seed, and die the first season. 



Hardy Annuals can be sown in the borders from April to June. 



Half-Hardy and Tender Annuals can be sown in March and April in shallow boxes, etc., 

 and placed on a hot-bed ; see directions under head of Sowing and Management of Flower-Seeds ; 

 when the plants are large enough, transplant in a cool frame near the glass to harden. In May, 

 when the weather has become favorable, transplant in the borders, or the seed can be sown in 

 the open ground in May and June. 



Many annuals are very desirable for the green-house for winter-blooming, and must be sown 

 in July or August. Of these the most important are Browallia, Candytuft, German Stocks, 

 Keuilworth Ivy, Lobelia, Mignonette, Schizanthus, Sweet Alyssum, and Dwarf Nasturtiums. 

 Many varieties, as well as the above, may be sown in the fall a'nd winter for blooming early in 

 the spring, such as Acroclinium, Ageratum, Antirrhinum, Apple-scented Geranium. China 

 Pinks, Dianthus Heddewegi, Dianthus Laciniatus and Diadematu-. Linum grandiflorum, 

 Mimulus, Myosotis, Pansy, Petunias, Phlox Drummondi, Salpiglossis, Salvia, Verbena, Vinca, 

 and others which will be found in our full and complete lists of the best leading varieties. 



Biennials are those that last two seasons; however, some of the varieties bloom the first 

 year, and remain over winter, flowering again the second year and then die, having fulfilled 

 their mission; a slight protection of leaves or coarse manure" will be found beneficial. 



For summer and autumn flowering the seed should be sown in March and April, and treated 

 the same as half-hardy annuals for those varieties blooming the first season, which varieties we 

 mention in our lists. 



Hardy kinds can be sown from April to September in the open border, and transplanted where 

 they are intended to bloom the following year. 



The following are among the most desirable : Canterbury Bell, Foxglove, Hollyhock, Lark- 

 spur, Pinks, Sweet William, Wall-flower, etc. 



Perennials do not flower until the second year, and the hardy varieties remain in the ground 

 from year to year, and improve by age, in forming large clumps "or bushes, which are completely 

 covered with their attractive flowers. They should be planted in the borders or beds where 

 they are intended to remain permanently. 



The seed may be sown early in the spring with Annuals, or later in the summer in a cool 

 and partially shaded situation, and when large enough transplant where wanted. 



Climbers, for garden decorations, should be sown in February and March, the earlier the 

 better, as the display for the after season will be in proportion to their early vigor, when plant- 

 ing out ; such as Cohcea, Eccremocarpus, Lophospermum, JIaurandia, Thunbergia, Tropaeolum, etc. 



Clematis species among hardy shrubs, and Pentstemon among herbaceous plants, are 

 prominent instances of seeds which remain long dormant, often a whole year, before they 

 germinate. 



Verbenas, among half-hardy annuals, are treated astender perennials, and are at limes of slow 

 germination ; we recently read an article on the experience of a skilful amateur, who sowed some 

 of the best Verbena seed obtainable, in a shallow box, and jjlaced it in heat, and only received 

 about a dozen plants from the seed ; the box, instead of being emptied, was laid aside in case 

 any more seedlinjrs should come; it was then forgotten until the following spring, when it was 

 again wanted for other seeds; instead of throwing out the soil the surface was scratched over 

 and sown with Lantana seeds, and the box was placed in a brisk heat, and in a few days the 

 surface was covered over with seedling Verbenas, the produce of seed sown the previous year ; 

 as his reward for leaving the soil in the box he received a fine stock of both Verbena and 

 Lantana plants : we merely relate this incident to show how important it is to exercise patience 

 in crrowing seedlings: the best varieties being often the slowest to germinate. 



The germination of many hard seeds of strong body throughout, either green-house or hot- 

 house species, which are imper^'ious to moisture, is greatly accelerated by pouring warm water 

 over them, in a dish or cup, and remain thus until the following morning, or soaked over night 

 in camphorated water, and then sown. Thus treated, the younsr plants appear in a few weeks, 

 but without such a preparation they are often many months. The varieties of Acacia, Eryth- 

 rina, Canna, and Smilax, are the most prominent of this class. 

 Calceolaria. — As this very desirable flower requires a little special care, the following 



