D. M. Ferry & Go's Descriptive Catalogue. o3 



nials must be kept during winter in a green-house or dry cellar, and tender perennials must be protected from frost 

 by a cloth or mat being fastened or tied around them, arid covered afterwards with leaves or litter. 



THE SOIL. — Another great object to be considered is the soil into which flower seeds are to be sown. The 

 soil best adapted to flowering plants generally, is a light, friable loam, containing a sufficient amount of sand to 

 render it porous. A great many varieties will Ih'e in almost any kind of soil, except it be extremely dry, calcare- 

 ous, or of a stiff, heavy character ; still, to give them a fair chance for development, some little pains should be 

 taken in adding to the soil, as much as pos>ible, what may be wanting in it. Most flowers are better if produced 

 on plants of most vigorous growth, so the greater portion of the gardt-n should be jMcpared by deep digging, 

 thorough pulverization, and liberal enriching wtith large quantities of u<eU 7-otti-ii niantirt-. On the other hand, 

 some sorts do best on very poor soil, so a portion of the garden should be left wilhout enriching at all. 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 seeds of a slowl_\' germinating character ; the patience of a devoted florist, however, is never ex- 

 hausted in these manipulations, and the certainty of his final success repays him fully for the trouble. 



BRIEF DIRECTIONS FOR SOWING. — Nine-tenths of the failures in flower culture come from im- 

 proper treatment of the seeds and young plants ; and we urge every purchaser of our seeds to study carefully the 

 cultural directions printed on each package, and the following general rules: 



Do not plant any of the seeds when the gf-ound is wet. Make the szir/ace as fine and smooth as possHle. 



Cover each sort of seed to a depth proportionate to its size ; the finest, like portulaca, not more than one-quar- 

 ter inch deep ; those the size of a pin head one-half inch, and those as big as a pea one inch. 



Press the soil down Jir inly 07<er the seed. After making the soil as fine as possible with the rake, make it, for 

 the smaller seeds, still finer, by crumbling the lumps up in the hands. 



Procure a bit of lath (it would be better if planed smooth) about two feet long, press the edge down into the soil 

 evenly, so as to make a groove as deep as the seed is to be planted ; scatter the seed along this, allowing four or 

 five of the larger to fifteen or twenty of the smaller seeds to the space one plant is to occupy when grown. ']\ike 

 care not to spill any of the seeds between the rows. Cover the seed by pinching the earth together over it ; then 

 turn your lath flat-ways, ».\\(^ press the soil do^vn firmly and ei'enly. 



Put a little stick at each end of each row,%o as to mark it, then pull up all weeds that appear between the 

 rows the fjst day they can be seen. Do not pull plants out of the row unless you are sure they are weeds. 



HOT-BED CULTURE. — Many varieties of flowers can scarcely be brought to perfection without [the assist- 

 ance of hot-bed or cold-frame, and much care is often necessary in transplanting, sheltering, and pricking out the 

 young plants. It is a work that requires much experience, and no doubt many disappointments will naturally occur. 

 Still, a hot-bed is a necessity, without the aid of which many of our choicest and most beautiful flowers cannot be 

 successfully grown. Experience is a rapid teacher, and the lover of llowers an apt scholar. See pages lo and ii. 



TERMS OF FLOWER SEEDS. 



Our Flower Seeds are the very best obtainable irom the oldest and most experienced growers in German). 

 France, England and America, and will be found z>ery superior. 



The packets are tastefully put up, most of them having a colored illustration lithographed or printed on the 

 paper, and full directions for planting and cultivating. Notwithstanding the enhanced cost and superior quality 

 of seed grown with such care, we shall fill every packet with a liberal quantity of good, new seed ; and we believe 

 that when quality and quantity are considered, our prices will compare favorably with those of any reliable 

 seedsman in this country. 



CLUBS. — In every community there can usually be found some lady who is extremely fond of flowers. Her 

 neighbors look to her for assistance in procuring seeds, and instructions in cultivating. Her advice is nearly always 

 gratuitous, for it is a pleasure to her to assist in cultivating a taste for the beautiful ; but in order to encourage the 

 growing of flowers, and as a slight compensation for such service, we have arranged x.\\& folloiving premium list^ 

 which applies to l-'lorver Seeds in packets only, and at catalogue prices, and not to seeds in bulk : 



Send us $5.00, and select packets to the value of §6. 15 

 " 10.00, " •• " '• 12.3a 



" 20,00, " " " " 26. OJ 



Send us $1.00, and select packets to the value of $1.15 

 " 2.00, " " " " 2.35 



" 3.00, " " " " 3.60 



" 4.03, " " " " 4.85 



SEEDS BY MAIL. — At catalogue prices, all Flower Seeds *i 111 be .sent by \wa\\,post paid, unless otherwise 

 ordered. 



REMITTANCES.— Remittances may be made at at ovm risk by either of the following methods, viz : 

 Post Office Order, Draft on New York, Express, E.xpress Co.'s money order or by Registered Letter. 



If currencN- is sent by express the charges should be prepaid, and if local checks are used 25 cents must be 

 added to cf<ver the cost of collection. 



The rates charged for Post Office Orders are now so low that this is the \'ery best way to remit where P. O. 

 Orders can be obtained. Postal notes are cheaper but are little, if any, safer than the cr.rreiiry, because if lost 

 duplicates will not be issued, and if stolen they are payable to bearer. 



When P. O. Orders cannot be obtained letters rontaining money should .dways be registered. Money in ordi- 

 nary letters is unsafe. 



SIGN YOUR NAME.— In sending for seeds by mail, please use our order sheet and envelope, when possible 

 axi^ gi7'e your Name. Post Office, County and State, and write every letter so plainlv that there can be no mis- 

 taking it. It is surprising how many fail to comply with above instructions, and then blame us for not receiv- 

 ing their .seeds promptly, 



l^r- The Cash must ALWAYS be sent with the Order. • 



