THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
3 
and suranier-tiine to be the most suitable seasons. The plants have 
then plenty of time to become strong before winter sets in, and are 
thus able to withstand the rough weather better. The seed-sowing 
is simple enough, and managed in much tlie same way as other Iiardy 
plants. If the quantity of seed is considerable, and frame room 
limited, mark out a bed in a shady part of the garden, and after 
making the surface soil fit for the reception of the seed, it can be 
sown and covered with a sprinkling of fine soil — old soil from the 
potting-bench is first-rate. Supposing a bed cannot be made up in 
the shade, a few branches of evergreens stuck iii will answer every 
purpose, as fiir as regards shade. It will be as well to say, that 
during dry weather it will be necessary to keep the bed moist, or 
the seeds will not vegetate; even if they do, the young plants will 
be dried up before they can make their appearance above the surface. 
With a limited quantity of choice seed, the safest way will be to sow 
it in a pan or shallow box, and place it in a cold frame. A mixture 
of loam, leaf-mould, and sand, is the most suitable for filling the 
pans. Prick off the young plants, whether in the pans, or in beds 
out of doors, directly they are large enough to handle. For if they 
remain crowded together for any length of time, they will be drawn 
up weak and spindly. The best way to deal with them at this 
stage is to select a border or piece of ground where the subsoil is 
rather dry, and, if poor, prick in a little rotten dung or leaf-mould. 
The plants should be pricked out in ro ws fifteen inches apart, and 
nine inches in the rows. This gives room to run the hoe through 
them, if necessary, to keep the weeds down. A sharp look-out 
must be kept for slugs, more especially in damp showery weather ; 
they are especially fond of the foliage when young and tender, and 
will soon clear a moderate-sized bed of plants. Evening and morn- 
ing are the best times to look for them. A few branches of Scotch 
or spruce fir, stuck amongst them in sharp weattier, will be useful 
in pi’eventing too sudden changes and rapid thaws acting upon the 
plants. This part of the subject is necessary from me ; for any one en- 
dowed with an ordinary amount of intelligence wdll know when they 
flower; discard all the worst, and plant out thp middling ones in 
the mixed border, if required, and increase the stock of the very 
best by cuttings, supposing the raiser to have any worth that 
trouble. Unless under exceptional circumstances, never propagate 
seedlings unless they are as good or better than the best of the 
existing kinds, for it costs about as much time and labour to grow 
bad kinds as good ones. 
Selecting and Striking Cuttings. — Begin this work early in 
June, and strike them all under cover. I have a frame in a partially- 
shaded corner, in which a bed is made up annually for this purpose, 
about a foot or nine inches in depth, and which consists of loam with 
plenty of leaf-mould and silver sand, with a thin layer of sand over 
the surface, to dibble the cuttings in. The soil in the beds is made 
rather firm, by beating it with the tliick part of the spade. It is 
impossible to fasten the cuttings properly if the surface of the bed is 
loose ; and unless they are put in firmly a large proportion will not 
strike. This is applicable to other plants besides pansies, even if 
January. 
