D. M. FERRY & CO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 53 



4 5ELECT DESCRIPTIVE LIST 



OF 



CHOICE IMPORTED FLOWER SEEDS 



WITH BRIEF HINTS OX SOWING AND CULTIVATING. 



MANY who do not meet with the success thev expected in the culture of a general list of Flowers, attribute the difficulty 

 solely to the seed, overlooking the important fact that nearly the entire range of Flower Seeds requires careful and 

 particular treatment, and the further fact that the treatment and conditions which with one variety will produce the 

 most satisfactorv results, mav utterly blight another. 



To ensure success, the conditions and requirements of the several species as to soil, moisture, heat, light, etc., should be 

 studied and then observed in culture. We feel sure that the pleasure resulting from a large and varied collection of Flowers 

 will amply compensate for the time and care given to the subject. 



SELECTION OF VARIETIES.— Success in flower culture depends quite largely upon a judicious selection of varieties. 

 Every sort we offer is. under certain conditions, attractive and desirable, but some of them, while exceedingly beautiful under 

 favorable circumstances, will be most unsatisfactory and little better than weeds under others: we therefore urge our friends 

 to study carefully the following pages before ordering, that they may select the sorts best suited to their wants. 



THE SOIL.— Another great object to be considered is the soil in 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 live in almost any kind of soil, except it oe extremely dry. calcareous, 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 possible, what 

 may be wanting in it. Most flowers are better if produced on plants of vigorous growth, so the greater portion of the garden 

 should be prepared by deep digging, thorough pulverization, and liberal enriching with large quantities of well rotted manure. 

 On the other hand, some sorts do best on very poor soil, so a portion of the garden should be left without 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 

 cried with seeds of a slowly germinating character: the patience of a devoted florist, however, is never exhausted in these 

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



DURATION AND HARDINESS.— For the purpose of giving general cultural directions, flowering plants may be 

 divided into several classes based upon their duration and hardiness: but it is evident that such a division could only be correct 

 for a certain latitude and for certain conditions, and while the classification we have followed applies generally to the Central 

 and Northern States, yet some which are classed as half-hardy may be tender in the North or in unfavorable exposures, and 

 quite hard}* in the South or in exceptionally favorable situations. 



HARDY ANNUALS include those plants which complete their growth the first season and then die. and being native 

 of the same latitude, or if native of a warmer climate, develop so rapidly that if the seed is sown in the open ground the 

 plants will come to perfect maturity before they are liable to be killed by frost. 



Culture.— Carefully study the "descriptions" and cultural directions "of the variety, and select suitable soil, and note the 

 distance apart the plants need to be for perfect development. Then make the ground very mellow, free from lumps, and 

 smooth, and provide a board about one-half inch thick, and two or three feet long, and about three inches wide. Press the 

 edge of this board into the soil so as to make a groove as deep as the seed is to be planted, remembering that more seeds of 

 this class are lost through too deep planting than from any other cause, and that generally seeds should not be covered to a 

 depth greater than two or three times their diameter. Scatter the seed along the groove, allowing from four or five of the 

 Larger to fifteen or twenty of the smaller seeds to the space each plant is to occupy. Cover hy pinching the earth together 

 over the seed, turn the board flatwise and press the soil down firmly and evenly. "Mark each end of the row with a small 

 stick, and repeat at a suitable distance. By this method the seed is covered to a uniform depth, and the young plants being 

 in rows are more easily seen and less liable to be pulled up as weeds, while a little care in thinning will prevent any appear- 

 ance of stiffness. 



HALF-HARDY ANNUALS include such annual plants as. from being natives of warmer climates, or of slow 

 development, need to be forwarded in the spring by means of artificial heat, either in green-houses, hot-beds, or the dwelling 

 aouse, in order to come to perfection. 



Culture.— Notice in the description of the varieties the soil best suited to the sort. Fill shallow boxes to within one-half 

 inch of the top with light, friable earth, the composition of which is suited to the wants of the particular plant. The earth 

 should be in such a condition of moisture that when pressed together in the hand it will form a ball which will retain its 

 shape, but which will fall into fine earth again upon being pinched or struck. Press this down evenly and firmly, making the 

 surface as smooth as possible, and then form grooves with a short, thin board in the same way as directed f er hardy annuals, 

 taking great pains that the grooves are not too deep. Drop in the seed and cover with earth." which should be pressed evenly 

 and firmly over the seed. Now water thoroughly, but carefully, so as not to wash out the seed, and keep in a warm place 

 in full light, but not where the sun will shine directly upon them so as to dry off the surface too rapidly and 

 necessitate too frequent watering. Watch them carefully, watering as seldom as possible, but keeping the soil alxcays moist 

 and never wet. As soon as the plants begin to appear, place in full sunlight and give plenty of air. taking great care that the 



Elants never suffer from the want of sufficient water or from an excess of it. When the plants have made three or four 

 >aves, or begin to crowd each other, remove to other boxes or pots, and set in the open ground as soon as danger of frost is 

 over. Most of the varieties of both hardy and half-hardy annuals mature so rapidly that better results will be obtained if 

 several sowings at different dates are made, thus securing a succession of bloom. 



TENDER, OR GREEN-HOUSE ANNUALS are such as. being natives of hot climates, not only require a longer 

 season, but also need to be protected from the cold winds and rains which are so frequent in our climate, and so cannot be set 

 out of doors except during the hot months. 



Culture.— This is much the same as that for half-hardy annuals except that the seeds are often so fine that they cannot 

 safely be covered with earth, but are simply pressed into the soil and the utmost pains must be taken that they do not become 

 too dry, nor are over watered. A single hour of bright sunshine will often so dry the surface as to kill the seeds whii'h are just 

 starting, and on the other hand a slight excess of water will cause them to rot," and it is to mistakes or neglect in watering 

 that nine-tenths of the failures with this class of seeds are due. 



HARDY BIENNIALS AND PERENNIALS are such plants as do not bloom, or blossom imperfectly, the first 

 season, but live through winter with little or no protection, and come into full bloom the second season, after which the 

 biennials die. while the perennials continue to live and bloom from year to year. This class includes many of our finest 

 dowering plants, yet they are often neglected because not blooming the first year from seed: but this long waiting for bloom 

 may in many cases be avoided by treating the seed as half-hardy annuals and starting them sufficiently early to form large, 

 strong plants by the time they can be set out in the spring. When this is not done they may be sown in beds" as directed tor 

 hardy annuals, and the plants set out in the fall at suitable distances. 



HALF-HARDY AND TENDER PERENNIALS are such as must be kept over winter in the cellar or green- 

 riouse. The seeds may be treated like half-hardy or tender annuals. 



Nine-tenths of the failures in flower culture come from improper 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 keep iu mind the follow- 

 ing golden rules for sowing flower seeds: 



Make the surface as fine and smooth as possible. 



Do not plant any of the seed when the ground is at all wet. 



Cover each lot of seed to a uniform depth, which should never be more than three or four times the diameter of the seed. 



Press the soil firmly over the seed. 



Plant in rows so that the young plants can be easily seen, and pull up all weeds which spring up between the row s the 

 day they appear, but do not pull plants out of the row until you are sure they are weeds 



