Catalogue of High-Class Seed* 



7i 



FLOWER SEEDS 



PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR CULTURE, TREATMENT, ETC. 



ARDV ANNUALS (hA).— Sow in April or May, according to the latitude, in shallow boxes or pots 



placed in a warm window, a hotbed, or, if possible, 

 in a greenhouse. A second sowing ought to be 

 made from two to four weeks after, for a succes- 

 sion, as well as to provide against failure the first 

 time. For sowing seeds in, there is nothing better 

 than shallow boxes from two to three inches deep, 

 and of any convenient size. The most suitable 

 soil in which to sow seeds of all the smaller kinds 

 is a very fine, rich, sandy loam ; if some fine char- 

 coal can be mixed with it, it will be beneficial. 

 The soil from old hotbeds is excellent, or sods from 

 an old pasture, piled up and allowed to rot for two 

 or three years, and then mixed with a little old 

 stable-manure and sand. The selection of a proper 

 soil in which to sow fine seeds is very important, as. 

 upon this depends the success or failure of them. 

 After the seeds are up, care must be taken to give 

 them plenty of air and moisture, and j r et not too 

 much water, or they will "damp off"." When the 

 young plants are well out of the seed leaf, they 

 must be transplanted to new boxes. If pots two 

 inches or more in diameter can be had, set out from 

 three to a dozen or more of the young seedlings 

 along the edges of the pot, so that as soon as the 

 ground is warm enough they may be easily turned 

 out and planted singly, as by that time they will 

 have made good roots. Where the pots cannot be 

 had, boxes, tin cans, etc., may be substituted ; or a 

 cheap and effective plan is to take out the inside of 

 a potato or turnip, leaving a shell half an inch 

 thick. After filling these with the compost above 

 referred to, set out the seedlings in them, and place 

 the whole in boxes, filling in the spaces between the 

 potatoes or turnips with soil. When the plants are 

 ready to set in the open ground, it is an easy matter to transplant them, and as the decay of the turnips or 

 potatoes affords nourishment to the young plants, a double purpose is served in using them. 



A common mistake in sowing flower as well as other seeds, is in covering too deep. As a general rule, 

 cover only to the depth of the thickness of the seeds, or with medium-sized seeds, like Balsams, Zinnias, etc., 

 a half an inch or so is none too much. Such fine seeds as Portulacas need only to be pressed into the soil with 

 a piece of board or the palm of the hand. Always press the earth down firmly after sowing all flower seeds, 

 else there is danger of their drying up before the roots can get firm hold of the soil. Seeds of the hardier 

 Annuals ma}- be sown where they are to grow ; but as a rule, it is preferable to transplant, as the plants are 

 generally stronger and stand the drought better. During very dry weather, and when the seedlings are first 

 set out, they should be watered frequently. Provide. some support for all such Annuals as require it, else the 

 plants become weak and straggling, and do not make the show they otherwise would. 



The weeds should be kept down and the ground loosened often, so that the plants will receive the full 

 benefit of the rains and dews, which they will not if the ground is allowed to become hard and baked. 



Seeds of Biennials and some hardy Annuals may be sown in September in boxes, and placed in cold- 

 frames. They will make strong plants by spring, and come into flower early. Do not put on the sashes until 

 heavy rains and frost render this necessary, and then always remove during the day, and whenever the tem- 

 perature is above freezing in winter. 



HARDY BIENNIALS (hB) and PERENNIALS <hPj.— These require the same treatment as the 

 Hardy Annuals. In addition to the above, both Hardy Biennials and Perennials may be sown in the open 

 border in September ; for if not sown until spring, the seeds of many Perennials require two years before they 



JULES CHRETIEN DAHLIA. 



