FLOWER SEEDS 



Beckert's Seed Store, 101 and 103 Federal St., N. S., Pittsburgh, Pa. 



Beckett's Select Flower Seeds 



In the following pages we offer a carefully chosen list of Flower Seeds, in which no want of the Bower-garden has been neglected, 

 the numerous varieties insuring a wide range of color, form, height, habit and season, thus permitting selection for any purpose. 



Please use the Order Sheet thai is enclosed in catalogue; by so doing, the tilling of orders is speeded, and the chance of errors 

 lessened. Order by numbers, as given in connection with each sort. This will make it easy for you and will facilitate the filling of the order. 



The Successful Flower-Garden from Seeds 



The growing of (lowers from seeds is not difficult, provided a lew simple facts are borne in mind. In the first place, please remember 

 that none of the (lower seeds, with comparatively few exceptions, sprout as strongly as vegetable seeds. For this reason it pays to take 

 particular pains in preparation of the soil, since even the smallest lump may cause the tiny seedlings to be smothered. Most people make 

 the mistake of covering seeds entirely too deeply. As a general rule, remember that all line seeds should not be covered any more than 

 just sufficiently to keep them in place and to prevent the wind from blowing them away or the birds from eating them. 



Soil-Preparation 



If possible, the ground where t he flower- 

 garden is to be should be dug the preced- 

 ing fall, since the alternate freezing and 

 thawing during the winter will do a great 

 deal to put soil in mellow condition. In- 

 corporate lots of well-rotted manure, 

 compost, or humus, and, should the soil 

 be a heavy clay or of similar stilf character, 

 add lots of sand or ashes. 



Lay out your beds in straight rows 

 rather than by scattering seeds at random. 

 It is much easier, then, to discover the 

 seedlings, and it is but little trouble to 

 transplant them where they are wanted. 



Sowing Fine Seeds 



It pays, in connection with the more ex- 

 pensive varieties and strains, to exercise 

 particular rare and to sow seeds in flat 

 wooden boxes, commonly called "seed- 

 flats." These are made up of wooden 

 boards and may measure approximately 

 12 by 18 inches, with a depth of 4 inches. This sort of flat is filled to 

 within '2 inch of the top with finely sifted soil, and the seeds are 

 then sown in shallow furrows about 4 inches apart, with a label at 

 the head of each row to indicate where the seedlings should appear. 

 At first these seed-flats should be kept covered with glass or moist 

 paper to prevent too rapid evaporation of moisture. Give seed- 

 lings plenty of fresh air. 



Cultivate Patience 



In connection with many Biennials and Perennials we must urge 

 you to exercise patience. All Perennials, with the exception of a very few, 

 are of slow germination. We give herewith a selection of Annuals and 

 Perennials which, we are satisfied, cannot fail, to give satisfactory 

 results, and which we can heartily recommend for the various purposes. 



We recommend the following Books on Floriculture: 



Home Floriculture. By Eben E. Rexford $1 00 



The Propagation of Plants. By Andrew S. Fuller 1 50 



The Window Flower-Garden. By Julius J. Heinrich 50 



The Most Useful Annuals for 

 Beds and Borders 



Ageratum, blue. Alyssum, white. 

 Asters, all colors. Candytuft, several 

 colors. Cclosias, mostly reds and yellows. 

 Dianthus, many colors. Dimorphotheca, 

 or Golden Orange TDaisy, and its many 

 yellow hybrids. Eschscholtzia, or Calif- 

 ornia Poppies, in several colors. Hunne- 

 mannia, or Bush Eschscholtzia, the big 

 yellow Tulip Poppy. Dwarf French Mari- 

 gold. Dwarf Nasturtiums in many colors. 

 Petunias, colors and mixtures. Phlox 

 Drummondii, all colors. Portulaca, single 

 and double. Verbenas in many colors and 

 color combinations. Vinca, or Periwinkle. 



The Most Useful Annuals for 

 Cut-Flowers 



Antirrhinum, or Snapdragon, in a won- 

 derful assortment of colors. Asters of all 

 kinds and colors. Calendula, or Pot Mari- 

 gold. Calliopsis in many colors. Celosia 

 Thompsonii magnifica. Centaurea Cyanus of many kinds. Centaurea 

 imperialis and Sweet Sultan. Chrysanthemum, with many bicolor 

 flowers. Cosmos, both early- and late-flowering. Dianthus, or Pinks. 

 Everlastings for winter decorations. Helianthus, or Sunflowers, espe- 

 cially the Cucumerifolius type. Larkspur of several types, in many 

 shades. Mignonette, Nasturtiums, Nigella, Salpiglossis, Scabiosa, 

 Sweet Peas, and Zinnias. 



Most Easily Grown Perennials or Old-Fashioned 

 Hardy Plants 



Aquilegia, or Columbine. Candytuft, gibraltarica and sempervirens. 

 Carnations. Centaurea americana and montana. Coreopsis, or Harvest 

 Moon. Delphinium. Dianthus, or Hardy Garden Pinks. Scotch Pinks, 

 and Feather Pinks. Digitalis, or Foxglove. Gypsophila paniculata, or 

 Baby's Breath. Lupinus. Platycodon, or Chinese Bellflower. Hardy 

 Phlox. Scabiosa, or Mourning Bride, Japonica and Caucasica varieties. 

 Stokesia Cyanea, or Cornflower Aster. Viola cornuta. 



Note. — To quickly find any or all of the above flowers, consult 

 complete index on third page of cover. 



Start your fine 

 this way 



Explanation of Abbreviations Used in the Descriptions 



HARDY ANNUALS, HA. These should be sown outside in April or May, 

 according to season, latitude, and condition of soil; or they may be sown at a 

 somewhat earlier date in a hotbed or greenhouse, the combining of the two 

 methods being advisable, thereby providing for a succession of plantings if both 

 sowings prosper. Seed sown under glass will also produce earlier-blooming 

 plants than seed sown outdoors. 



HALF-HARDY ANNUALS, HHA, HALF-HARDY BIENNIALS, HHB, 

 and HALF-HARDY PERENNIALS, HHP. These may be sown indoors, as 

 above directed, from March to May, and outdoors after the middle of May. 

 Many of the Biennials and Perennials will bloom the first season if sown early. 



HARDY BIENNIALS, HB, and HARDY PERENNIALS, HP, can be 



sown outdoors as soon as the soil is in good tillable condition. If sown early in- 

 doors, many of them will bloom the first season. Sowings made from Jufy to 

 September will produce well-established plants for the next season. These 

 should be somewhat protected during the winter. Many seeds of Hardy Biennials 

 and Hardy Perennials are of very slow germination, and seeds of such should 

 not be condemned as bad if a quick germination does not show. 



TENDER ANNUALS, TA, TENDER BIENNIALS, TB, and TENDER 

 PERENNIALS, TP, can be sown in March in the green-house or in hotbeds in 



shallow boxes. Transplant to secure sturdy plants, which can then be planted 

 outdoors after danger of frost is over, about May 15. 



HHA, HHB, and HHP designate Half-Hardy Annuals, Biennials and 

 Perennials. 



HB and HP designate Hardy Biennials and Perennials. 

 TA and TP designate Tender Annuals and Perennials. 



Any species or variety to which no letters are affixed are to be considered as 

 Hardy Annuals. 



As a Matter of Record 



Cultivate the habit of keeping records of what you are doing in the garden. 

 Garden records consist of plans, planting notes, and individual wooden labels 

 with which each row should be marked. Cn page 8 of catalogue you will find 

 additional reference, as well as offer of collection of wooden labels which may 

 prove useful. In connection with all rows of flower seeds, however, and espec- 

 ially where seeds are sown in seed-flats, as illustrated above, we feel that 4-inch 

 wooden labels are amply large enough to mark the rows. On these labels should 

 be written the name of the variety and the date when the seeds were sown. 

 For the convenience of our customers we provide 4-inch painted wooden labels 

 for this purpose at 35 cts. per 100, postpaid. 



ALL FLOWER SEEDS IN PKTS., BY THE OZ., OR >/ 4 LB., ARE SENT POSTPAID AT CATALOGUE PRICES 



SPECIAL DISCOUNT: 



Select any six 5-cent packets for 25 cents; any six 10-cent packets for 50 cents 



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