CULTURAL DIRECTIONS. 
Abutilon— (Bell Flower.) — Perennial. Sow in shallow 
boxes In a temperature of GO degrees. Transplant Into 
similar boxes or into small pots when the seedlings are 
flt to handle. Plant out in May, or for later flowers 
sow in the open ground in May. For winter or spring 
flowering sow in August or September. 
Abrus— (Crab’s Eye Vine.) — Thrives best in sandy 
loam. Seed requires bottom heat to germinate well 
and strong heat to keep in a growing condition to 
flower well. 
Acroclinium — Half Ilardy Annual Everlasting. — 
Thrive best in a loamy soil and constitute very neat 
summer flowering annuals if sown out of doors in 
patches in June; they are also useful as winter dec- 
orative green 'house plants if seed is sown in August 
in pots placed in a cold frame. The flower heads 
should be gathered when young to preserve them. 
Ageratum — Hardy Annual — Start the seed under glass 
and transplant two feet apart. 
Alyssum— Hardy Annual — Most effective if planted 
In masses one foot apart, as early In the spring as 
possible, in the open ground. 
Ambrosia — Hardy Annual — One of the easiest plants 
to grow, seed may be sown early in the open ground. 
Anchusa Capsensis — Hardy Perennial — If sown early, 
blooms the first season, growing freely in shady situa- 
tions. 
Antirrhinum — (Snapdragon.) — Tender Perennial. No 
better plant could be chosen for house cultivation than 
the snap dragon (Antirrhinum). It has dark foliage 
and bright, oddly shaped flowers. There are six or 
eight distinct colors. Set in four or five Inch pots, 
one plant in each pot, in any good garden soil, mixed 
with a little well-rotted stable manure they can 
hardly fail to give satisfaction. Give them all the 
sunlight possible, and water once each week with 
a little liquid manure. They may be propagated by 
slips, by layering or from seed. 
Arabia Alpina — Hardy Perennial. One of the easiest 
possible culture in any dry soil. Seed may be sown 
outside early in spring, or in pans or boxes when they 
can be transplanted to a shady border. 
Aster — Half Hardy Annual. Sow in boxes, In the 
house, the last of April, or in open ground, in May; 
transplant to one foot apart, in deep rich soil. 
Aquilegia — (Columbines.) — nardy Perennial. They 
prefer a moist and sheltered situation, with exposure 
to the sun and require a good friable sandy loam 
and leaf soil, with good drainage. Sow seeds thinly, 
in pans or cold frame, when up and strong enough 
to remove, the seedlings may be planted out when 
they are in bloom, allowing every plant at least nine 
inches each way. 
Balsam — (Lady Slipper.) — Tender Annual. The soil 
in which they are sown should be of the richest pos- 
sible character; the plants should be set 15 inches 
apart securely staked, and receive frequent waterings 
of manure water. In order to have the finest double 
Balsams, plants must be transplanted from the seed- 
bed. If sown where plants are to bloom, they will be 
semi-double to a large extent. 
Balsam Apple— (Momordica.) — Annual Climber. Well 
adapted for trellises, arbors, etc., in a warm situation 
outside, and in a rich, light soil. Plenty of water 
should be given during the growing period. 
Bachelor’s Button — Hardy Annuul. Sow in open 
ground in May or first of June; transplant to six 
Inches apart. 
Beans, Scarlet Runner — The Tender Annual Climber. 
Do not plant until settled warm weather and the 
ground is in good condition. They require same treat- 
ment as common garden beans. In planting, be care- 
ful to place the eye of the bean DOWN. 
Begonia — (Tuberous Rooted Varieties.) — These mag- 
nificent varieties have become exceedingly popular and 
can be grown from seed. They germinate well and it 
only requires a little care to grow the plants. Sow 
seed In February or March in pots on a surface of 
fine soil, and cover with glass. Take great onre not 
to wash out the young plants in watering; they will 
give an abundance of bloom the first year. At the 
end of the season the plants may be dried off 1>> T with- 
holding water, the tubers gathered and kept in a dry 
place, free from frost, and planted the following 
spring, when they will bloom more freely than ever. 
Tubers are offered for sale by some, but they are 
very expensive, and a single packet of seed, if prop- 
erly handled, will furnish what would cost many 
dollars. 
Begonia — (Fibrous Rooted.) — From the seed sown in 
February or March, and with generous treatment, 
plants may be gathered within six months. Sow 
again in July or August for spring and early sum- 
mer flowering. A temperature of about 65 degrees ia 
necessary, well drained pots, and a good mixture of 
soil. Prick off the seedlings while quite small, and 
shift on us the pots become filled with roots. As 
begonia seed is slow and Irregular In germinating, 
the sowing should be thin, so that seedlings can be 
lifted without disturbing the adjacent seed. 
Beilis — (Double Daisy.) — Half Hardy Perennial. Sow 
in May and transplant eight inches apart. 
Bird of Paradise — (Poinciana Gillesi.) — Ornamental 
Shrub. Seed being large and hard,, should be soaked 
for a few hours in lukewarm water before planting 
In box in house. Give gentle bottom heat if possible. 
A mixture of loam and leaf mould suits it best. Cut- 
tings are somewhat difficult to root, but will succeed 
if taken off the mother plant in a growing state ami 
planted In sand, with a hand glass placed over them 
in heat. 
Blue Daisy — (Agatliaea Coclestis.) — Perennial. Al- 
lied to Cineraria and requiring the same treatment. 
Young cuttings root freely in a gentle heat, at all 
times, and the plant may be had in flower all the 
year round. 
Clematis — (Paniculata.) — Sow out of doors after dan- 
ger from frost is over, in beds of finely pulverized 
soil, covering the seeds to a depth of not over four 
times their size; thin out as it becomes necessary. 
Transplant into permanent position as soon as the 
seedlings are large enough, so that they can become 
established before cold weather, or sow In the early 
fall, carrying the plants over in cold frames, and 
transplant to permanent position in spring. 
Calceolaria — Seeds of Greenhouse Plants, especially 
Calceolaria, require extra care In sowing, as the seeds 
are very fine and delicate. The pans must be well 
drained, say half filled with crocks, and on this a layer 
of rough fibrous peat or turf, and fill up with a com- 
post of the following proportions: Two-thirds light, 
rich loam, one-third peat, silver sand and thoroughly 
decayed cow manure, the whole thoroughly well mixed 
together. Make the surface as smooth as possible 
and sprinkle a little silver sand over it; water with 
a fine hose; after the pans have thoroughly drained, 
the seed must be very evenly and thoroughly sown — 
it will require no covering. After sowing place the 
pans under a glass in close frame (it will require 
no artificial heat), keep shaded, as exposure for a 
short time to tile sun’s rays is often enough to scorch 
the delicate leaves and rootlets of the seedlings. 
Directly the plants are large enough to handle they 
must be pricked into other pans which have been 
prepared in the same manner as for seed sowing, and 
allowed to grow until they touch each other, then 
shifted into small pots, and replaced In the close 
frame; as soon as the roots fill these pots it will be 
necessary to repot in larger sizes. They will now 
do, if replaced in frames or put on shelves in the 
greenhouse near the glass; water regularly, repot and 
shake when required. If troubled with green fly, 
select a quiet evening and fumigate with tobacco 
paper. These remarks will apply also to cultivation 
of the Cineraria, Chinese Primrose. Carnations, and 
many other rare seeds, except that they are more 
hardy and will thrive with less care. The seeds 
being larger will require a light covering of finely 
pulverized soil. 
Calendula— Hardy Annual. Sow In boxes early or in 
open ground in May or June; transplant to one foot 
apart. . , . 
Calliopsis or Coreopsis— Hardy Annual. Sow where 
they are to remain, and thin to two feet apart. 
Campanula — (Canterbury Bells.) — Ilardy Biennial. 
Very attractive border plants; they succeed best in 
light, rich soil, and should be transplanted two feet 
Canna — Tender Annual. Soak the seeds half an hour 
In hot water before sowing. Plant in a warm place 
the middle of April, or open ground only after it is 
quite warm, the first of June. Transplant to one 
root apart in rich soil. ^ „ 
Candytuft— Hardy Annual. Seeds should be sown 
where plants are to bloom in fall or early spring: any 
' * . . ti. s + tv,,,,- flvn inches 
Sanary Bird Flower— Tender Annual (See Nastur- 
mis tor cultural directions). 
Carnation— (See Calceolaria for cultural directions). 
IS 
