March 20, 1884, J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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Royal Horticultural Society. (Fruit and Floral Committees at 11 a.m.) 
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Royal Botanic Society. Spring Show. 
PLANTS FROM SEED FOR OUT FLOWERS. 
T is notable that plants raised from seed are freer 
in growth and more floriferous than those raised 
from cuttings or layers—that they are for 
general decorative purposes and cutting from 
greatly superior to the florists’ varieties, and 
except for particular purposes and to meet some 
standard ideas are in every way preferable for 
general acceptance. It is not intended to convey 
an impression that seedlings are equal in beauty 
of form and other properties to be found in a flower as it 
meets a florists' idea of quality, but it must be admitted that 
the plants raised from seed carefully selected from superior 
flowers afford very different results, and much better than 
were obtainable a few years ago. Nine out of every ten 
persons only value flowers for their effectiveness in the 
garden and their usefulness for the ornamentation of the 
house. The florist may look at the variety of colour and 
form presented by the mixed border, and yet pass the 
flowers as beneath his notice from a “florist’s point of 
view;” yet those who want flowers, whether on the plant for 
effect or in a cut state to provide a chaste, elegant, graceful, 
and pleasing arrangement, must look for them in the mixed 
border. No one knows this better than florists, and it is to 
their care and skill that we owe the vastly improved forms 
of flowers that are now raised from seed, many of which very 
closely approach the florist’s standard of excellence. This is 
only what might be anticipated, for it is practically impossible 
for a true lover of flowers to keep from improving whatever 
he takes in hand. Be this as it may, several years’ experi¬ 
ence enables me to say as much enjoyment can be had for the 
expenditure involved in purchasing a packet of seed as from 
a considerably larger amount invested in plants, dozens of 
plants being had for the money that is often necessary to 
purchase one example of a named variety, while the seedlings 
give a more pleasing and useful display of flowers. I do not 
wish for a moment to disparage named varieties, as they are 
or have been seedlings that have been continued by propa¬ 
gation other than by seed, because they gave excellence in 
advance of the majority of the seedlings ; yet so great has 
been the advance in seed-saving and the efforts to improve 
the strains of flowers, that seedlings as now obtained exhibit 
a decided improvement and fixedness of character that was 
looked for in vain a few years ago. Indeed, so fixed have 
some of the forms become that our principal seedsmen are 
able to offer distinct varieties of several kinds as coming true 
from seed. 
There is another important point in raising plants from 
seed—viz., greater facility for effecting the desired object. 
There is no need to winter plants, as the seed is much more 
easily kept over the winter, and if the plants are biennial or 
perennial they stand outdoors, where the choicer sorts must 
have frame protection. Seedlings are less trouble in propa¬ 
gation, require less care afterwards, and if the strain 
be good the display of flowers is always satisfactory. 
The subject would be best treated under two heads— 
No. 195 .—Vol. VIII., Third Series. 
1, Annuals, including such biennials or perennials as flower 
freely the first year; 2, Those which under ordinary treat¬ 
ment do not flower freely, or only late in the season under 
special treatment the first year, and need to be treated as 
biennials. I must, however, point out that most plants raised 
from seed are with some exceptions, which will be noted as 
we proceed, of very little use after their flowering is over, and 
should be destroyed. 
Single Dahlias. —These are quite unique for cutting pur¬ 
poses, and are probably the most beautiful of border plants. 
If the seed be sown in March in a hotbed, and the plants kept 
near the glass, potted off singly when they are showing the 
second leaves, and grown on in frames or in a greenhouse 
after they become established after potting, good plants will 
be had by the end of May, and when put out they will bloom 
well until early August and until frost comes. The seed may 
be had in separate varieties, but it does not do to place 
implicit reliance on them, as they may come true, but some¬ 
times do not. The most fixed appear to be Paragon, Cer- 
vantesi, Harlequin, Sunset, White Queen, and Yellow Gem. 
The mixed packets give a great number of colours. The 
plants make an excellent back row to a border, and for large 
beds are beautiful. 
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus major).—There are several 
varieties of this, but the blue is far the best. Everybody 
knows it, and yet it is not so much grown as it ought to be. 
The seed should be sown early in April in the open border in 
patches for a mixed border about a foot across and 2 feet 
apart, thinning the plants so as to leave half a dozen of the 
strongest in each patch. It will grow 3 feet high and forms 
a good row next to the single Dahlias, its blue tint contrasting 
well with their shades of red, white, and yellow. The plants 
are all the better for being secured to stakes, but must not 
be “ bundled ” or the plants will be spoiled if a wet time sets 
in. To have early flowers sow in September in a warm 
sheltered spot and transplant in spring. 
Single Chrysanthemums. —These are showy and effective, 
blooming profusely and continuously until frost. The flowers 
exhibit a great range of colours, and are 2 to 3 inches across, 
circular in outline, and good in substance. The seed should 
be sown in patches like the Cornflowers, as they then make 
fine clumps, and for cutting are unequalled. They grow 
2£ to 3 feet in height. The seed should be sown early in 
April where the plants are to remain. The following are the 
best:—C. segetum, bright yellow ; C. leucanthemum, white, 
yellow centre; and the varieties of C. tricolor—viz., luteum ; 
Lord Beaconsfield, crimson edged gold, dwarf; W. E. Glad¬ 
stone, crimson; The Sultan, crimson-maroon; atro-coccineum, 
scarlet; venustum, crimson and white ; carinatum or tricolor, 
white and yellow ; and Bnrridgeanum, white, crimson, and 
yellow. These make a grand display and bear examination 
in any position. They are also useful when grown in pots. 
Zinnias. —The single and double-flowered varieties are 
very bright in colour in various shades of scarlet, crimson, 
red, and white, and are effective either as border plants or 
the flowers for cutting. They grow 2 to 2£ feet high. 
Asters.— Truffaut’s Perfection Pteony-flowered in twelve 
distinct colours, Victoria in twelve distinct colours, Rose- 
flowered in ten distinct varieties, and Read’s Quilled Improved 
(Betteridge) in sixteen distinct colours, are beautiful plants 
when well grown. The first three grow to 2 feet in height, 
and the last to 2J to 3 feet in rich soil. The prevailing 
colours are purple or blue shades, rose, carmine, crimson, 
and white, or a combination of two colours, such as blue and 
white, crimson and white. 
Dwarf Scabious.— These attain a height of about 2 feet, 
and are white, blush, rose, up to deep velvety crimson. They 
are very free-flowering, forming much-branched plants, and 
continue in bloom up to frost. The flowers are very effective 
and are fine for cutting, having long stems, and are sweetly 
scented. 
French Marigold. —Seedsmen have selected strains of 
No. 1851.— Vol. LXX., Old Series. 
