38 



DREER'S RELIABLE SEEDS 



through quickly, are best; the best soil is a mixture of 

 equal jiarts of sand, leaf-mould, and light, rich garden 

 lonin, 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 ; pre'-s the soil firmly and 

 evenly. If the soil is dry it is best to water freely a day 

 or two before sowing the seed, to enable the surplus water 

 to drain oif. After they are sown cover slightly with fine 

 soil, carefully water with a fine rose or spray dampener, 

 to settle the soil. When they are designed to be grown in 

 the house, the temperature should be as near 60 degrees as 

 possible ; place them in a light window facing south or east. 



The importance of uniform attention to watering may be 

 best learned by experience and observaliou, but the inex- 

 perienced cultivator may be reminded that to omit a sin- 

 gle watering and allow the young pUmt-germs from seed 

 to remain in a parched state, or a too frequent indiscrim- 

 inate watering, usually leads to the eventual loss of the 

 whole. As soon as tlie plants appear, they will require 

 careful attention, as the least over-watering may cause 

 them to " damp oflf"," and suddenly destroy all your ho|)es. 

 They should now have as much suu as possible, and when 

 the weather is pleasant, souje air may be admitted. As 

 soon as the plants are large enough to handle, prick them 

 into otlier boxes or pots, placing them about 1 inch apart 

 each way; they must be shaded for a few days from the 

 sun, until they are established. When large enough thev 

 can be i)lanted separately into small pots, and kept until 

 the proper season for planting in the garden. 



Nature bountifully provides for the reproduction of 

 plants; the difiiculty of multiplying by one method is 

 counteracted by the ease with which it may be done in an- 

 other way. When plants arc dilficult to "grow from cut- 

 tings, we generally find that they seed freely, thus giving 

 amjile means for increase. For instance, the much ad- 

 mired Ceutaureas, of the ''Dusty Miller class," or white 



silver-leaved plants, so extensively used for edgings, mass- 

 ing or baskets, which are diificult to i;row from cuttings, 

 are readily raised from seed; there aie numerous varieties 

 having the same nature, which all Florists aui Amateurs 

 soon discover by e.xperience. 



Climbers, for garden decorations, should be sown in 

 February and March, the earlier the better, as the display 

 for the alter season will be in proportion to their early 

 vigor; they are Cobsea, Eccremoearpus, Lophospermum, 

 Maurandia, Thunbergia, Tropaeolum, etc. 



Verbenas among half-hardy annuals. Clematis among 

 hardy vines, and Penstemoii among herbaceous plants, 

 are prominent instances of seeds which remain long dor- 

 mant, often a whole year, before they germinate. 



The germination of many hard seeds, especially among 

 greenhouse or hot-house sjiecies, wliich are almost inijier- 

 vious to moisture, is greatly accelerated by pouring warm 

 water over them, or soaking them over night in camphor- 

 ated water, and then sowing. Thus treated, the young 

 1 iilants appear in a few weeks; but without such treatment 

 j they often lie dormant many months. The Varieties of 

 Acacia, Erythriua, Canna, and Smilax, are the most promi- 

 nent of this class. 



Calceolaria and Primula are types of a class that 

 require entirely diflerent treatment ; to insure success they 

 should be sown in pots or boxes half filled with rough 

 siftings; on this put two inches of fine compost, and siit 

 over this a top-dressing of the same material, using a fine 

 sieve. Sow the seed on the surface and press gently in, 

 using a flat surface. Sprinkle with a fine rose ; cover with 

 a pane of glass, and keep shaded froiu tiie suu. The sur- 

 face should he kejit damp, and the pots or boxes kej^t in a 

 moist, warm temperature. As soon as the seedlings are 

 strong enough they must be potted in small pots, in soil 

 }Mepared as before, and kept in the same situation until 

 well established. 



FLOWER SEEDS IN ASSORTMENTS. 



The following assortments are principally imported from Europe, and will be found to be the very choicest varie- 

 ties. They are sold in the original imported i)acl:ages at the prices named. Each variety or color separate in the 

 package. No parts of assortments can be made. For single varieties see general list. 



Colors. Pkt. 



5139 ANTIRRHINUM. Finest Tall 10 



5129 Finest Dwarf Tom Thumb 10 



5179 ASTERS. Finest Quilled 18 



6189 

 5199 

 5209 

 5219 

 5229 

 5239 

 5249 

 5259 



.10 



Trnffaut's Pacony Perfection 12 



Victoria 12 



Boltze's Dwarf Bouquet 12 



Giant Emperor 12 



Large Flowered Rose 10 



Cocardeau, or Crown G 



Goliath G 



5269 BALSA31. Improved Double Ca- 

 mellia 6 



5289 Very Fine Double CamelUa 6 



5279 Double Rose Flowered 12 



5399 CANNA. Beautiful foliage plants 12 



5429 CARNATION. From the finest selection..l2 



5449 CELOSIA. Dwarf Cockscomb G 



5819 FERNS. Rare and choice varieties 12 



6589 GRASSES, Ornamental 18 



6599 GREENHOUSE PLANTS. A choice 



selection of varieties 25 



5949 HOLLYHOCKS. Chafer's finest prize, 



double. 12 



6659 IMMORTELLE, or Everlasting Flowers..! 2 



50 



50 



$1.00 



60 



1.00 



1.00 



1.00 



1.00 



75 



50 



50 



1.00 

 50 

 1.00 

 1.00 

 1.00 

 50 

 1.50 

 1.15 



2.00 



1.00 



Colors. Pkt. 



5709 LARKSPUR. Dwarf German Rocket.lO 50 



5719 Tall Double Stock Flowered 8 50 



6059 MARIGOLD 10 40 



6109 MIGNONETTE 10 50 



6149 NASTURTIUM. Dwarf Tom Thumb..l2 50 



()159 Climbing Nasturtium 12 50 



G239PANSIES. Beautiful varieties 12 $1.00 



6299 PETUNIA. Large flowering sinde var's..l2 1.00 



63u9 Extra Double. Fringed varieties .12 1.25 



6339 PHLOX DRUMMONDI 12 75 



6349 Grandiflora. Large flowering 12 1.06 



0359 Nana Compacta. Dwarf 6 75 



5739 PINKS. Chinensis and Heddewigi 12 60 



6409 PORTULACA. New Double 8 60 



6389 POPPY. Pa-ony Flowered 12 50 



6429 PRI31LLA SINENSIS. All frintred 12 1.25 



6439 All fringed 6 75 



6449 Double flowering 6 1.25 



6609 STOCKS. Large flowered, ten-week 12 75 



6619 Perpetual Flowering, " 6 • 40 



5999 SWEET PEAS 10 40 



6709 VERBEN.^L.. 6 60 



6739 'WALLFLOWER. Choice double 12 1.00 



6749 Choice Single 6 40 



6789 ZINNIA ELEGANS. New dwarf, double.. 6 50 



FLOWER SEEDS JN COLLECTIONS. 



For the acooramodation of those who are unacquainted with the varieties, we have put up the following collec- 

 tions of desirable, free blooming and showy kinds for general garden culture. No parts of collections made. 



No. 1. Collection of 12 annuals, free bloomers 50 No. 5. Collection of 20 biennial and perennial varie- 



No. 2. Collection of 25 annuals, free bloomers $1.00 ties $1.00 



No. 3. Collection of 12 very choice annual varieties... 1.00 No. 6. Collection of 100 annual, biennial, and peren- 



No. 4. Collection of 12 newand rare annual varieties.. 2.00 nial varieties 5.0C 



