140 
THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
heab early in Marc’i. This is altogether unnecessary, excepting 
when the plants are required in flower early in the summer. Plants 
raised from seed sown now will bloom superbly during the autumn, 
when they will be of the most value for decorative purposes. Not 
unfrequently the failures we occasionally hear of may be attributed 
to sowing the seed early, and subjecting the plants to a starving 
process, owing to an insuflflciency of room previous to the bedding 
plants being cleared out of the houses and pits, preparatory to their 
being planted in the summer quarters. The seed should be sown 
early in the month, and the seed-pot put in the cucumber frame ; 
or, if that course would be inconvenient, a warm corner of the 
greenhouse will do. Immediately the plants are well above the 
surface, place the pots near the glass, to prevent their being drawn 
up. Pot off separately when about two inches in height, and bury 
the stem to wnthin a short distance of the seed leaves. After they 
are nicely established, a cold frame will be the most useful quarter, 
provided they are placed near the glass. Few classes of plants are 
more likely to sufer when placed in a dark or insufficiently ven- 
tilated part of either the greenhouse or pit than balsams. By shift- 
ing them on as they fill the pots with roots, they can be grown to 
almost any size ; but for ordinary decorative purposes, specimens in 
six or eight-inch pots will be the most suitable. If extra large 
specimens are required, remove the flower-buds from the main stem ; 
but in all other cases they should not be removed, for by far the 
largest and most double blooms are produced on the main stem. 
After the pots are well filled with roots, liberal supplies of water 
will be required, and at every alternate watering, liquid manure 
may be substituted for clear w'ater with advantage. The Gamellia- 
flowered and Mose-Jloioered varieties are alike good. 
Beowallia. — These are pretty little annuals, and well worthy 
of being grown on a small scale. They succeed best when kept in 
rather small pots, in a cucumber or melon pit, during the earliest 
stages of growth. To produce largp specimens with the smallest 
amount of trouble, put four plants in three-inch pots wdien they are 
pricked off, and then shift them into five or six-inch pots, without 
dividing them. B, elata, blue, and B. elata alba, white, are both 
good. 
Celosias. — To have these in perfection, sow at once, and place 
the seed-pots in heat, and keep the young plants in a warm corner 
of the greenhouse until they have attained a considerable size. Five- 
inch pots will be quite large enough for these plants. The red 
varieties are the most attractive, but the yellow varieties are well 
worth growing. 
Cockscombs. — The cultivation of these plants is very similar to 
that of the Celosia, when they are required for ordinary decorative 
purposes. The main point is, perhaps, to procure seed from a good 
strain. They must be placed near the glass, and at each potting 
bury the stem low in the soil, to keep them as dwarf as possible. 
Mignonette, — Sow the seed in five-inch pots, and then thin 
out the seedlings to about four to each. The open air or a cold 
frame will be the best situation until the plants are required in the 
