Arthiir T. Boddinpton , 342 West 14th St., New Vork City 



The Sowing of Flower Seeds 



The raising of plants from seed is the most natural mode of reproduction; it is from the seed that the most healthy and vigorous 

 plants are produred. 



To obtain good results, secure (|ua!il\- seeds; also a certain amount of care in the sowing and treatment must be taken; this may 



be summed up in the following four points. 



First. — That the seeds have been perfectly ripened. 

 Second. — That they have been properly kept until the 

 period of sowing. 



Third. — That they be sown at the proper time. 

 Fourth. — That the sowing be performed in the proper 

 manner. 



Many of the flower seeds used in the garden arc started in 

 the greenhouse or sunny window during the winter and early 

 spring months. 



Seed-pans or shallow flats should be used. These receptacles 

 should have plenty of drainage, consisting of potsherds or any 

 rough open material. The soil should be an even mixture of 

 sand, leaf soil and loam, finely sifted; before sowing this should 

 be firmly and evenly pressed. If the soil is dry, it should be 

 watered and rendered somewhat moist a few hours before sowing. 



The main consideration which will enable any one to deter- 

 mine the depth at which the seeds should be sown must always 

 be this, — that the soil is the medium which, in the first place, is 

 to keep the seeds sufficiently moist for germination; secondly, 

 and only in those cases in which the seedlings will continue 

 their development on the spot where they have germinated, the 

 soil must be looked upon as essential for the fixing of the plant. 

 In practice, where the seedlings are transplanted when very 

 young, the covering of the seeds with soil is not essential if we 

 only keep the seed-pans covered with a piece of glass, or even 

 paper, in order to prevent a too rapid evaporation of the moisture. 



In the sowing of very small seeds, e.g., calceolarias, gloxinias, 

 begonias, etc., no covering of soil should be put on the seeds at 

 all. Larger seeds, such as salvia, cyclamen, etc., may be covered 

 with fine soil to a depth of twice the diameter of the seeds. 

 After sowing, great care must be taken that the seed-beds should 

 never be allowed to become dry, and very great care must be 

 taken in the watering, especially of the finer seeds. 



The best way to moisten the seed-pans containing the 

 fine seeds is by dipping the pans in a pail of water, and allow the 

 water to rise naturally. 



The three main essentials which all plant life requires, and 

 A Bed of Boddington's Auricula-eyed Sweet WUUams this relates to seedlings as well as mature plants, are moisture, 



heat and air. 



The seed-beds should just be kept moist — they should never be allowed to become sodden. A safe guide for temperature is 

 that for proper germination the temperature should be a little higher than the mature plant requires for proper development. 



The seeds of most Hardy Perennials may be sown at any time from January to October. Early sowing should be made indoors 

 in boxes in the same manner as described above, or they may be sown out-of-doors in spring after the frost has gone, and trans- 

 planted into their flowering position in early autumn or the following spring. There is not room in this short article for the treat- 

 ment of the young seedlings, but, as the seedlings appear, more air and light should be gradually given or the seedlings will be weak 

 and drawn. 



There are many seeds of flowers which may be sown out in the open ground, such as alyssum, candytuft, calliopsis, nasturtium, 

 sweet peas, etc. These should be sown after all danger of frost is past, and care should be taken that the soil is in the right condition 

 as to moisture, etc. It is very poor practice to sow when the ground is too wet. 



The soil should be finely prejjared by forking over and raking the surface evenly. The seeds should be sown in drills, the depth 

 of the drills to be governed by the variety of seed to be sown. It is different in the case of sowing seeds in the open than in sowing 

 under glass, as outside, the dry winds or hot spring weather may easily cause a temporary- or fatal stoppage of growth. These evils 

 must be overcome by covering the seeds with sufficient soil to prevent their drying out, yet they must not be sown so deep as to 

 cut ofT the supply of air. A good rule to follow as to the depth that seeds sown outdoors should be, is to cover with a layer equal to 

 four times their diameter. In the case of small seeds, a light shading should be gWen with liranches or cheesecloth. 



BODDINGTON'S QUALITY FLOWER SEEDS HAVE MADE THE GARDENS 



OF AMERICA FAMOUS 



