80 
H. G. Hastings & Co., Seedsmen, Atlanta, Georgia. 
A Few From Hastings’ Mixed Flower Garden. Packet, 10 cents. (See Page 87) 
FLOWER SEEDS 
AND DULDS 
Only Such Varieties as are adapted 
to planting in the Southern States. 
You can get 5 packets of Flower Seed 
Free. Read Page 1 Carefully. 
Liberal Premiums^;^ 
lect Flower Seeds to the amount of 75 cents. 
For $1.00 you may select Flower Seeds to 
the amount of $1.50. For $2.00 you may se- 
lect Flower Seeds to the amount of $3.00. 
This does not include Bulbs, Roots, Plants, 
or the Special 25 and 50 cent Flower Seed 
Collections on page 1. 
HASTINGS’ FLOWER SEEDS 
HOW TO SOW FLOWER SEEDS 
Have no superiors and few equals. We use just as much care in 
the production of the finest strains of flower .seeds as we do in 
vegetable seeds. We do this because it pays us to. Our business 
experience is that our best advertisement is a satisfied customer, 
and our special high grade strains of seed are bound to make every 
one who plants satisfied. The increase of our sales of flower seed 
in the past six years has been enormous. Our customers have found 
that the quality of our seed and the size and brilliancy of the bloom 
from our special strains of flower seeds surpass anything they have 
ever had. Very little flower seed is grown in the United States, and 
we import ours direct from the largest and best flower seed grow- 
ers of Germany and France, where the greatest attention is paid 
to the production of the finest strains of flowers. We spare no 
trouble nor expense to get the very best for our customers — the 
finest varieties of all flowers adapted to planting in the South. Our 
list of flower seed is small compared with that of many Northern 
seedsmen. The reason for this is that there are comparatively few 
flowers grown from seed that do well in the South, and our list 
contains nothing but what is adapted to the South. You may de- 
pend upon the fact that you can plant any variety in this list with 
the assurance that with proper treatment and favorable seasons 
you will succeed. 
Our packets of flower seeds are larger than those of other seeds- 
men. There are enough seeds in Hastings’ packets to give plenty 
of plants .of each kind. We have no 1, 2 or 3-cent packets such as 
are offered occasionally. Our packets contain good seed and plenty 
of it. We do not put in 6 or 7 sweet peas, or 12 or 15 poppy seed, 
as fine as dust, and call it a packet. Our business is nqt conducted 
on that basis. We charge you a reasonable price, just what the 
goods are worth, and give you value received for every cent you 
send us, and then add to your order our free offer as shown on 
page 1 and inside page of cover. 
Flower seed is now one of the strong features of our business, 
and we lead in that just as we do in vegetable seed. Hastings’ 
Seeds of all varieties are Successful Seeds. 
Ageratum 
AGERATUM 
Blue and White 
A favorite garden flower 
for bedding and borders 
in the South. Native of 
Mexico and easily with- 
stands heat of our long 
They bloom all 
and if. seed is 
sown in the fall they make 
splendid box or pot plants 
for winter. Sow seed in 
open ground in April or 
earlier in boxes for trans- 
planting. Plants grow 1V> 
to 2 feet high, with light 
green foliage, surmounted 
with clusters of small, tas- 
sel-like flowers. Of quick 
erowth. and profuse 
bloomers. Blue, 5 cents; 
white, 5 cents, per packet. 
12 GLADIOLI 30c 
With few exceptions flower seeds are very small, and sowing them 
by the inexperienced often results in failure, either partial or com- 
plete, because a few simple rules are not followed out. There is 
nothing mysterious about success with flowers. It requires care and 
a little .common sense. With these failure is almost impossible. It 
is work that can not be left to a negro farm hand or laborer. It 
must receive your careful personal attention. By observing closely 
the following rules for sowing flower seed you will have little cause 
for complaint, of failure. 
Thd Soil mellow' loam, which is a medium earth between 
■ 111? extremes of clay and sand, enriched with a 
compost of rotten manure and leaf mold, is adapted to the general- 
ity of flowering plants. Previous to planting flower beds or borders, 
care must be taken that they are so arranged that the ground may 
be a little elevated in the middle, that the w'ater may run off, and 
that the plants may show off to better advantage. 
Plantlno' Make the surface as fine and smooth 
" gg possible. Cover each sort of 
seed to a depth proportionate to its size; like portulaca, petunias, 
etc., should be merely sprinkled on the surface of the ground, and 
barely covered wdth finely sifted, light mellow soil ; press the soil 
down firmly over the seed wdth a brick or a short piece of board. 
For larger seed the depth should be regulated according to the size 
of the seed, those the size of a pinhead inch deep, and those the 
size of a pea % of an inch or more. Procure a bit of lath (it would 
be better if planed smooth) about 2 feet long, press the edge dow’ii 
into the soil evenly, so as to make a groove'^as deep as the seed is 
to be planted, scatter the seed along this, allowing 4 or 5 of the 
larger to 15 or 20 of the smaller seeds to the space one plant is to 
occupy when grown. Cover the seed by pressing the earth over it, 
then turn your .lath flatwise and press the soil down firmly. On 
light, sandy soils flower seed should be covered twice the depth that 
t^y should be in stiff or heavy clay soils. 
in Raya A Almost all flowers will stand trans- 
DwaCa planting. Many of them grow better 
for having been transplanted. In sections liable to late spring frosts 
or where drouth comes in spring, it is advisable to sow seed in shal- 
low boxes w'hich can be placed in a w'arm, sunny window or on a 
porch. This is always advisable with the expensive seed, and those 
of a tropical nature, such as coleus, salvia, etc. These need a warm 
soil to start the seed. Sow the same as in open .ground, and keep the 
soil moist, but not soaking wet. If surface of soil shows tendency 
to cake or crust, scratch it lightly to break the crust. Small seeds - 
can not force their way through a crusted surface. As soon as the 
plants reach a height of 2 or 3 inches they may be transplanted to 
open ground, taking as much earth from the box as possible with 
esich plant, so as not to disturb the roots more than is necessary. 
SWEET ALYSSUM 
Free flowering annual, of quick growth, 
beginning to bloom in earl.y spi’ing and 
continuing for a long time. Excellent 
for borders for flower beds, as it is of 
close, compact growffh and even in height. 
Sow seed thinly, in shallow drills where 
plants are to stand. Grows 5 to 10 inches 
high. Packet, 5 cents; ounce, 25 cents. 
Alyssum—Little Gem 
Plants very dwarf, spreading and uni- 
form in growth, 3 to 4 immes high. 
Plants begin blooming when 2 inches 
high and continue lon.g through the sea- 
son. Plants are literally covered with 
small spikes of fragrant bloom, as many 
as 400 clusters having been produced on 
a single plant. Fine for borders. Pack- 
et, 5 cents; % ounce, 20 cents; ounce, 35 
cents. 
Little Gem Alyssum 
