Drcer' s Garden Calendar. 43 



with soil as fine as possible, half of which should be composed of river 

 sand. When prepared thus it should be watered with a fine rose, im- 

 mediately after which sow the seed carefully, without any covering of 

 soil. The pots should then be placed under a close frame or hand-glass, 

 in a shady part of the garden, no artificial heat being required. In large 

 establishments, of course, there are propagating or other houses that will 

 do, where the same kind of moist temperature could be obtained, but 

 any exposure to the sun must be carefully guarded against by mats or 

 )iaper. If the situation be of the proper temperature, they will require 

 watering but very seldom. As soon as the seedlings are strong enough, 

 they must be picked off in pots prepared as before, and placed in the 

 same situation ; from the store pots they will require to be potted off 

 singly ; after this the plants will grow very rapidly. Through the win- 

 ter the plant will thrive well on the shelves near the glass, in the green- 

 house ; and, to obtain fine specimens, they must be shifted on freely till 

 the flower-stalks have started, and should always be smoked with to- 

 bacco, as soon as the green-fly appears, as no plants in cultivation so 

 readily suffer from this insect as the Calceolaria. 



It is necessary to remark that one of the most frequent causes of the 

 appearance of these injurious insects is the plant becoming root-hound ; 

 to avoid which evil, it is important that it should frequently be re-potted 

 during the growing season. 



CIXERARIA and PRIMULA SINENSIS are more hardy in their 

 growth, and require somewhat less care, than the above, but for them the 

 same treatment will suit in sowing of seed, etc. ; only that the seeds 

 being larger they can be slightly covered with fine sandy soil. If re- 

 quired to flower in the winter, seed should be sown in April and May, 

 and in the following months for spring flowering. 



It should be borne in mind that much of the disappointment that 

 occurs in the sowing of Flower Seeds may be obviated by attention to 

 the foregoing hints. 



FLOWER SEEDS BY MAIL. 



Their portability renders them so easily and cheaply transported by 

 mail that no one with any pretensions to taste in Floriculture need be 

 without a choice selection. For the accommodation of those who are 

 unacquainted with the varieties, we have put up the following assort- 

 ments of the most desirable free-blooming and showy kinds, which will 

 be promptly mailed (prepaid) upon the receipt of a remittance. 



J^i^ Correspondents will please write their names legibly, and in full, 

 with post-ofiice, county, and state. 



No. 1. Twenty-five annuals, free-bloomers $1.00 



" 2. Twenty biennial and perennial varieties «> 1.00 



" 3. Twelve very choice annual varieties 1.00 



" 4. Twelve new and rare varieties 2.00 



" 5. Twelve varieties for Green-house culture 2.00 



" 6. One hundred varieties annual, biennial, and perennial, 



including many choice sorts, a fine selection 5.00 



For Flower Seeds in assortments, see page 80. 



As an inducement to POSTMASTERS AND OTHERS forming 

 Clubs, we ivilL forward, post-paid, six One-Dollar packages for a remit- 

 tance of Five Dollars. 



^^^ At these prices, invariable/ our oivn selection. The latest novel- 

 ties are not included in these collections ; but a liberal discount will be 

 made from catalogue price when ordering a qnantity. Seepage 4. 



