1871.] 
AMERICAN AGrRICULTURIST. 
143 
them from damping off, as many of them are 
Very apt to do, but they will be much stronger 
and suffer less when replanted to the open 
ground. We prefer to replant the seedlings in 
shallow boxes — a soap-box cut in three, making 
a depth of two Indies ; they are more portable 
thus than if planted agaiu in the soil of the hot- 
bed; though, of course, after planting in the 
boxes these are put again in the hot-bed. I may 
here mention that after the seedlings have been 
planted in these boxes they should be lightly 
watered and shaded for two or three days. As 
the season advances, ventilation, watering, and 
covering up at night, should be attended to. 
To such as have not the convenience of a hot- 
bed, the flower-seeds may be sown in the shal- 
low boxes above mentioned, and placed in the 
window of a south or east room, where the 
thermometer does not average less than 70 de- 
grees. Success would be more complete, how- 
ever, if panes of glass were placed over the 
seeds, resting on the edge of the box an inch or 
so from the soil. This would prevent evapora- 
tion, and render watering, which has the effect 
of caking the surface of the soil, and preventing 
germination, less necessary. 
We will name the varieties of flowers most 
suitable for sowing at this season. 
Canna Indica, or Indian Shot, grown main- 
ly for the beauty of its foliage. Sown in hot- 
bed in April, and planted out in the open ground 
in June, will, by August, attain a bight of six 
or eight feet. In addition to the rich, tropical- 
looking foliage, the flowers of some sorts are 
handsome — colors yellow, scarlet, orange, etc. 
Antirrhinum, or Snap-Dragou. — A beauti- 
ful summer-flowering plant, presenting a great 
diversity of coloring, is easily raised from seed 
in the .hot-bed. The Antirrhinums maybe 
planted out in this latitude in May, and flower 
from middle of June throughout the summer. 
Cob^a Scandens. — A climbing plant, which 
will attain, from seed, a growth of twenty or 
thirty feet ill one season. The flowers are bell- 
shaped; purple; 3 inches in length by l'|j inch 
in breadth. The seeds of this plant are thin and 
flat, and will germinate more safely if placed 
on edge when sown. 
Coleus. — This famous ornamental-leaved 
plant is easily raised from seed, and breaks into 
endless varieties. It is exceedingly tender, how- 
ever, and had better not be sown before May, 
nor planted out before June. 
Zonal Geraniums are, perhaps, the most 
valuable of all plants for summer-blooming in 
our climate. They are easily raised from seed, 
and will well reward the amateur by the endless 
variety produced. A few years ago the only col- 
ors of these were scarlet and pink. Now we 
have them of every shade, from white to crim- 
son, with endless tints of scarlet and rose. 
The Zonal G-eraniums may be lifted and potted 
in the fall, and if well pruned in when lifted, 
will bloom finely in winter. 
Lantana is another summer-flowering plant, 
easily raised from seed, the flower resembles 
somewhat the Verbena, but has, besides many 
of the colors found in the Verbena, orange, 
and yellow, which are not found in that flower. 
Lobelia*. — Dwarf plants, well suited for 
hanging-baskets, or for ribbon-lining. The flow- 
ers range from pure white to blue. The blue of 
the Lobelia is often of the richest azure, unsur- 
passed by that of any other plant. 
Pansy, or Heart's-ease. — The usual mode 
with the florists is to sow the seed3 of Pansy in 
the fall, so that the plants may be large enough 
to be in bloom when he sells in May. In this 
condition it will flower, perhaps, only to the 
middle of June, for by thus being prematurely 
forced into flower it becomes exhausted and 
stops blooming, and often dies outright; but 
when sown in spring the growth is natural and 
unchecked, and it will grow and flower with- 
out cessation, from June to November. 
Petunias, being.of rapid growth, will flower the 
first season, even if sown in the open ground, but 
usually not before July or August. If sown in 
the hot-bed in April, they will bloom in June, 
and make much larger and finer plants. 
Diantiius. — The Pinks are numerous and 
varied, many of them having a rich, close fra- 
grance. They present an endless variety in col- 
or and style of flower. 
Salvia Splendens, or Scarlet Sage. — Seeds 
of this sown in April will flower by July or 
August, and continue throughout the season ; 
this, perhaps, is the most gorgeous plant of out- 
gardens ; single plants often attain a bight of 6 
feet, and nearly as much in diameter, having a 
hundred scarlet, plume-like flower-spikes; the 
color is so intense when seen against a green 
background, that it is often visible at the dis- 
tance of half a mile. 
Verbenas. — The most popular plant of the 
day, is easily raised from seed, and no other 
plant that we know of will so well reward the 
trouble. The number of varieties now attained 
is something wonderful, even to us in the 
trade. Every year develops some new strain. 
Every color seemingly is obtained, but yellow or 
orange ; these we never expect to have, as there 
seems to be a natural law of the floral kingdom 
that blue, yellow, and scarlet, are never found 
in varieties of the same species. Thus we have 
in Dahlias and Roses, yellow and scarlet colors, 
but no blue, just as we have in Verbenas blue 
and scarlet, but no yellow. Your readers will 
do well to remember this, and be saved, as they 
occasionally are, from investing in "blue" 
Roses or Dahlias, and " yellow" Verbenas, and 
know that the seller must either be ignorant of 
his trade or dishonest. 
Double Zinnias. — These, like Petunias or 
Balsams, can be raised to flower by August, if 
sown in the open ground, but if sown under 
glass in April, will flower in June, and through- 
out the entire season, making larger and finer 
plants. There are few plants that have im- 
proved so much as the Zinnia, it being only ten 
or twelve years since the first double ones were 
introduced, and few of us then imagined that 
the present perfection of form and great variety 
would be obtained. We have now dazzling scar- 
lets, yellow, orange, lilac, rose, white, and crim- 
son, rivaling the Dahlia in symmetry of form. 
mi ■■ S —■ i i ■ — - 
An Orchard Record. 
Every orchard, at least those in which there 
are several varieties of trees, should be recorded. 
The planter may perhaps be able to remember 
the names of the trees he sets out; but orchards 
do not always remain in the possession of those 
who plant them, and a record is of the greatest 
importance to the one who succeeds to the 
property. Aside from the convenience to him- 
self, it is a duty to those who come after him 
for each one who plants an orchard to make 
such a record as will be readily understood by 
others. Many plans have been proposed ; the 
simplest is the best. We arc reminded of the 
matter at this lime by a letter from M. S., Haw- 
leytown, N. Y., in which he gives his method. 
He numbers his rows from south to north, be- 
ginning at the southeast corner of the orchard, 
and the trees east and west. This being stated 
at the head of the record, the name of each 
tree may be easily found by its position: 
Tree. 
Row No. 1. 
Tree. 
Row No. 2 (next 
north). 
1 
2 
3 
Lnrlv 
Pick's Pleasant 
o-« .a-p 
1 
2 
3 
Newtown Pippin. 
Bough. 
Porter, etc., etc. 
Osage Orange Seed, 
We have quite frequently stated the man- 
ner of treating the seed of the Osage Orange, 
yet as several new subscribers send us inquiries 
about it, we reply briefly. The seed is to be 
soaked in blood-warm water for a week, chang- 
ing the water every day. At the end of a week 
turn off the water, and cover the seed with 
thick woolen cloths in order to keep them 
moist, and set them near the stove until they 
sprout. Examine the seed daily, and stir them 
with the hand. When minute sprouts appear 
just breaking through, the seed should be sown. 
The seed-bed should be good, light, rich land, 
and the seeds be sown as early as possible. Sow 
in drills, two inches deep and a foot apart, put- 
ting about twenty-five seeds to the foot, and 
covering before the seed is dry. The young 
plants are to be carefully weeded and cultivated 
during the summer, and thinned wherever they 
are crowded. In the fall the plants are taken 
up, assorted into sizes, and heeled-in. 
* » i m # i^— i m 
That Grape-vine. 
— ♦ 
' We say tliat grape-vine, because it is likely 
that the majority of our readers who live in 
towns and villages are obliged to content them- 
selves with only one vine. What will apply to 
one vine, will serve for a dozen, or a whole vine- 
yard ; but this is written for those — and unfor- 
tunately it is a large class — who have no vine 
at all, never grew a vine, and are more likely 
to go wrong than to go right. In the first place, 
you cannot have fruit within a few days after 
the vino is planted. Somejobbinggardenermay 
come along with a clump of a vine two inches 
through, and promise it to bear the same season. 
It may bear a few poor bunches, but the vine 
will never be a satisfactory one. Get a young 
vine, at most two years did, with good roots. If 
the vine comes with two or three feet of stem to 
it, cut it nearly all off, leaving only a short por- 
tion with three buds upon it. Set it in a sunny 
place if at command ; but if it must be put in 
some particular place in order to cover a trellis, 
give it the best possible chance. A vine will 
stand almost any kind of abuse, except giving 
it a wet spot to grow in. If the ground is wet, 
make a large and deep excavation, and throw in 
stones, bricks, or other rubbish for drainage. 
See that the roots are placed in good soil ; it 
need not be over rich, but it should not be worn 
out and impoverished. When the buds push, 
and the shoots have grown a few inches, rub off 
the two weaker ones and leave but one shoot. 
It will be bard for most persons to do this, the 
young shoots all look so promising: but the fu- 
ture success of the vine depends upon its being 
done. The first season after planting, the, whole 
business of the vine should be to grow one 
strong and vigorous shoot. We shall be ex- 
pected to name some varieties, and for every 
body every where we think that the Concord is 
best adapted. There aro vastly better grapes, 
but it is so hardy and so reliable, that the novice 
had better make his first essay with the Con- 
cord. Among the newer varieties there is none 
of greater promise than the Eumelan, which i3 
a new, black grape, of most excellent quality. 
It is offered in the publisher's premium-list. 
