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 coldframes. 
They will make strong plants by spring, and come into flower early. Do not put on the sashes until heavy rains 
and frosts render this necessary, and then always remove during the day, and whenever the temperature is above 
freezing in winter. 
HARDY BIENNIALS (hB) and PERENNIALS { hP).— Those require the same treatment as the Hardy 
Annuals. In addition to tbe 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 germinate. 
In this case it is a good plan, at the commencement of frost, to cover them lightly with straw, leaves or any dry 
litter, in order to allord some protection from the extreme severity of the winter. As soon as the frost is out in 
the spring, remove tbe covering and loosen the surface around the plants, which, when large enough, may then 
be transplanted to the flower garden where they are to renuiin. 
HALF-HARDY ANNUALS (hhA) These may be sown in shallow boxes, pots, or a hotbed, as directed for 
Hardy Annuals. They may bo sown thus at any time after the middle of April, as the hotbed will bo sullicient 
protection ; but it is best to cover the glass with a mat or straw at night until danger of fi-ost is past. In the day 
give all the air possible by partially or wholly removing the lights. After the end of May sow in the border, like 
Hardy Annuals. 
HALF-HARDY BIENNIALS (hhB) and HALF-HARDY PERENNIALS (hhP) require the same treat- 
ment. Though plants and their bloom are greatly forwarded by sowing the seeds early in boxes under cover, it 
may be stated that nearly all kinds of hardy and half-hardy flower seeds may be sown in the open border in a 
warm and sunny spot, as soon as the soil has become dry and warm ; so that those who have no glass frames or 
greenhouses need not be without flowers. They can have them, but it will be later. 
TENDER ANNUALS, BIENNIALS and PERENNIALS — The best inethod to obtain an early bloom of 
the Tender Annuals (tA), and to insure strengtli to the plants, is to sow the seeds in boxes or pots in March, 
placing them in a warm greenhouse, or plunging in a moderate hotbed, carefully protecting them from the cold, 
shading from the midday sun, and watering with a flue rose. The seed should bo sown in very light, sandy 
compost, and the pots well drained by placing broken pots or bits of sods in the bottom. The finer seeds must 
not be covered more than an eighth of an incli. deep, and the soil pressed down elofcly over them. Water fifG- 
quently, particularly if the house or hotbed is very warm. As soon as the planty are out of the seed-leaf, trans- 
plant into shallow boxes or small pots, and when they have acquired sufficient strength transplant into the flower 
beds ; not, however, before the middle of May. 
GREENHOUSE SEEDS (g) should be sown as directed for Tender Annuals, in pans, pots or shallow boxes, 
and be kept in the house, carefully watched, slightly watered occasionally, and sheltered from the hot sun till 
strong enough to transplant. Most varieties may be sown at any season of the year. 
The smaller seeds of Greenhouse Plants are sometimes difficult to germinate, unless great care be taken in 
the mode of sowing. Hei-rce the supposition is produced that the seed itself is not good, whereas the fault is not 
in the seed, but in the treatment. Fine seeds of this description should be sown in leaf -mould or peat, with some 
fine sand added to it ; press firmly down in the seed-pan or pot, and make perfectly level at the top, so that the 
mould may not afterward sink materially with watering. Sow the seed very thin, and cover very lightly with a 
little compost, or with silver sand. Success is more certain if a pane of glass is placed over the pan or box till 
the plants have appeared, when it should be removed. By this method the difiieulty of starting fine seeds will be 
removed. As soon as the young plants have two leaves, they should be transplanted into similar compost in 
another pan or box. To do this, do not pull them out of the seed pan, but l^roak up the soil by running a stick 
or trowel under it, when the plants can be taken out with good roots. After trnnsplanting they should lie kept in 
a shady part of the greenhouse for a few days, and watered very sparingly, until they are somewhat estaljlished 
in the new soil, when they may be removed to the light. 
There are many minute plants from the finer seeds killed by drenching with water while very young. One 
way to avoid this is to give the water by dipping a clothes-brush in water, shaking oft' the greater part of tiio 
water from the brush, and then (holding the brush over the seed-pan) drawing the hand over the bristles several 
times, which will cause the water to be thrown on the young plants almost like dew. Some of the vaiiorizers and 
atomizers (as used for perfumes) now in use are acbnirably adapted for watering tender young plants. In the 
first stage of their existence, plants require moisture in a minute quantity, often repeated, and not iu such hu-Ke 
quantities as to saturate the soil in which they are growing. 
Primula Sinensis.— The Chinese l^riuirose is de.servedly one of our most popular winter-blooming plants. 
For winter use it is easily grown from good seed, if sown at the right time and properly treated. Sow tbe seed in 
drills, iu a light, rich soil, in shallow boxes, at any time from the middle of Marcli to the midilh^ of May ; the 
earliest .sown seed will naturally pi-odiico tbe earliest liloom. Cover the seeds about an eigiilh of an inch, and 
press the soil on them with a board 07- the bottom of a pot. Water moderately, avoid forcing the seed, and keep 
the young plants away from drip. Tbe boxes may be placed in the greenhouse, or out of doors in a frame. As 
soon as the plants are well out of tbe seed-leaf, transplant them singly into 2 or 2V2-iucb pots, using a light, rich 
soil. The object now is to make good, stocky plants, and they must therefore be repotted as often as the j.ots 
become tolerably filled with roots, until they are iu 5 or 6-inch pots, when they may bo allowed to flower. 
