42 DREER'S GARDEN CALENDAR. 



THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



FLOWERS are not always remunerative, excepting to florists, but are becoming more and 

 more indispensable to beautify our gardens and houses, exerting in a quiet manner a refin- 

 ing and joyous influence, more desirable than mere pecuniary profit. The humble cottager 

 must now have a few pots of flowers or a small flower garden. 



The enthusiastic amateur or florist need no longer order his novelties direct from Europe, as 

 we endeavor to supply his wants in that respect, by giving our constant attention to obtain 

 every highly recommended novelty as it appears, in seeds, bulbs or plants, of either native or 

 foreign varieties, which will be given with the introducer's description. 



It is often the case that too little pains is taken to have the soil of the flower-beds and borders 

 in a friable condition, so as not to bake in the sun. This is what renders it so difficult for small 

 flower-seed to survive germination, and for the delicate transplanted annuals to make a start. 

 All that the flower-border or beds require is a dry bottom, with an annual supply of prepared 

 compost, made up of well-decayed barn-yard manure, leaf-mould, or decayed leaves from the 

 woods, and sods, which should be put in a heap to decay, and before using riddle through a 

 coarse sieve and mix thoroughly together. With different soils, special applications will be 

 necessary, as stated under the head of " The Vegetable Garden," page 3. The hot-bed, etc., as 

 there described, will serve for the purpose of the Flower Garden. The only additional requi- 

 sites are flower-pruning scissors, flower-pots and labels, stakes and trellises for tying up the 

 plants, for which articles see list under head of " Florists' and Amateurs' Requisites." 



The flower-beds may be cut out in the lawn, and in these bedding plants from the green or 

 hot-house planted, as soon as the weather becomes suitable, and no further danger of frost; 

 also the seeds of choice annuals may be sown in them. 



Directions for the Sowing and Management of Flower Seeds. 



Provided the soil is in a proper state, flower seeds may be sown in the open border in the 

 months of April and May ; the best criterion is the state of the soil. The seeds should be sown 

 as soon as the soil becomes dry and easily crumbled, after the spring frosts have disappeared. 

 Care should be taken not to sow in a crowded border, as light and air are indispensable. They 

 may also be sown in prepared beds of light, rich soil, to be transplanted into the garden. The 

 former is the more simple method, but not always satisfactory, as, during the interval between the 

 sowing of the seed and the period of blooming, the ground occupied is not attractive. The most 

 satisfactory way is to sow all fine seeds under glass in a green-house, hot-bed, or in the house, 

 exposed to a southern aspect, as the changes of climate, heavy rains and drying winds, with a 

 hot sun, render the surface of the soil unfit for the germination of small seeds. As to the depth 

 to which seeds should be covered, the best general rule is to cover fine and light seeds very 

 lightly, just enough to protect them from the sun ; and in extremely dry weather a sprinkling 

 of damp moss is very useful. With very fine seeds it is best to sow on the surface, and press 

 them slightly into the soil. We are convinced that one of the most frequent causes of failure is 

 in sowing the seeds too deep, and seedsmen are unjustly censured, when the fault lies altogether 

 in the bad management of the cultivator. 



The period of sowing has also much to do with the success or failure ; as a rule, we find the 

 -winter months, even with all the appliances a skilful gardener can give, the most unsatisfactory, 

 instances of which came under our own observation during our long experience in floriculture, 

 especially with certain kinds of seeds. Being desirous of raising a stock of plants of the Wigan- 

 dia Caracasana during the winter for our spring sales, we made repeated sowings, but failed in 

 every instance ; the same seed sown in mid-summer produced a plentiful crop of plants. Apple 

 Geranium seed sown in the fall furnished but a few plants, while seeds that dropped from 

 the seed plants in June lay until the next summer on the benches before they germinated, 

 subjected to the heat and watering necessary to the plants that were placed thereon. Other 

 gardeners have related the same experience, where they found the plants growing beautifully 

 on the compost heap, being thrown out of the seed-pans after waiting patiently several months. 



In sowing seeds in flower-pots, seed-pans, or shallow boxes 2 to 3 inches deep, with proper 

 drainage, or open seams at the bottom of the boxes, so that the water can drain through quickly, 

 the boxes are best adapted for that purpose ; the best soil is a mixture of equal parts of sand, 

 leaf-mould, and light, rich garden loam, which should be thoroughly mixed and passed through 

 a coarse sieve; then fill your pots, pans, or boxes within half an inch of the rim; press the soil 

 firmly and evenly. If the soil is dry it is best to water freely before sowing the seeds, and after 

 they are sown cover slightly with fine soil, again carefully watering with a fine rose or spray 

 dampener, to settle the soil down to a uniform surface. When they are designed to be grown 

 in the house, the temperature should be as near 60 degrees as possible, placing them in a light 

 window facing south or east. 



The importance of uniform attention to watering may be best learned by experience and 

 observation, but the inexperienced cultivator may be reminded that to omit a single watering 

 and allow the young plant-germs from seed to remain in a parched state, or a too frequent indis- 

 criminate watering, often leads to the eventual loss of the whole. As soon as the plants appear, 

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

 off," and suddenly destroy all your hopes. 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 



