Pebrnary 4, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
89 
paints, for telegraph batteries, for calico printing, and other pur¬ 
poses. The price varies, small quantities charged for higher than 
larger. Crystals about 4jd. per lb., powdered a little more. An 
approximate estimate only can be given of the cost per acre of 
the treatment recommended, say three sprayings. 
Sulphate of copper, 66 lbs. at 4^d.£14 9 
Lime and labour of preparation . 0 2 6 
Lebour, three days at 23. 6d. ... 0 7 6 
£1 14 9 
Thus for the price of half a ton of Potatoes the crop may be 
protected against disease, and the increased yield in Potatoes 
repays the outlay cent, per cent. Then there is the value of a sound 
crop to place against that of a diseased one, the greater quantity 
of merchantable tubers, and the enormous saving and labour in not 
having to assort the tubers as occurs when the crop is diseased. 
These are factors in the case which are apt to be overlooked, but 
they give a sound crop double the advantage of the diseased one 
alike to the grower and consumer.— G. Abbey. 
(To be continued.) 
SEED GROWING IN GERMANY. 
[By Mr. Gborgk F. Da.nibl 3. Head before the members of the Bast Anglian 
Horticultural Club, Norwich, January 13th, 1692.] 
Having spent about two years in one of the chief seed growing 
centres of Germany, a few short notes on the chief plants culti¬ 
vated wilt perhaps prove interesting. Although the ways and means 
of cultivation differ considerably from those of this country, and 
through climatic influences could not in many instances be carried 
out ; still, we all like to know at least something about the 
growing for seed purposes of the best of our annuals, especially 
when we take into consideration the large quantities of seeds 
which are annually imported from this source, and necessarily so, as 
many of them would not come to miturity in this climate, there¬ 
fore must be left to the care and industry of our continental 
brethren. 
It is only within the past twenty to thirty years that this trade 
has assumed its present gigantic proportions. The increased 
demand for flowers in this country has given a corresponding 
impetus to seed growing abroad, where they have the advantage of 
cheap labour and a climate specially adapted to this work. England 
next to America is the largest importer of German grown flower 
seeds. Besides this large quantities find their way to all parts of the 
world. The secret of this successful cultivation lies in the bright 
dry autumn, which enables seeds to stand longer and become 
thoroughly ripened. Not only is the climate well adapted for the 
production and ripening of seeds, but also the soil, which in this 
particular locality is a deep, rich, and moderately stiff loam, and is 
all that can be desired for the purpose. I will briefly touch upon 
some of the leading varieties, and endeavour to describe their 
cultivation. 
Stocks form one of the leading features in a seed-growing 
establishment, and are one of the most expensive crops to grow— 
that is, so far as labour is concerned. This will be seen when I 
tell you that they are nearly all grown in pots, only the inferior 
sorts being left to tike their chance in the open ground. One 
firm grew something like 300,000 pots of these annually. 
The plants are kept on stages, erected in the sime way as an 
ordinary greenhouse stage, and have a wooden or tiled roof to keep 
off the heavy rain and too direct rays of the sun, the sides and 
back being left «pon. One of the essentials for good cultivation 
is the soil, which must be well matured and free from any 
vegetable matter. Therefore three years’ supply is always kept 
on hand and turned from time to time to make it sweet. The 
plants which are raised in pita on a slight hotbed are pricked into 
6-inch pots when in the fourth leaf, and are generally planted seven 
to nine in a pot, so as to throw up single stems only. There are 
two reasons for this crowding, as we may terra it. Firstly, Seed 
is only obtained from the single flowers. As soon as the doubles 
make their appearance the plants are cut off, thus giving more room 
to tho-c remaining. Secondly, Placing several in each pot tends 
to starve the plants somewhat ; and when thus treated they pro¬ 
duce a larger percentage of doubles ; this has been proved. As seed 
saved from plants grovn in the open ground does not produce 
anything like the same percentage—.^0 per cent, double flowers is 
considered a good average, although in some cases it ranges as high 
as GO per cent, and even 65 per cent. 
Stocks require a copious supply of water throughout the grow¬ 
ing period, which extends from April to October, except for a week 
or two when they first show their bloom, when it must be sparingly 
given, as over-watering at this time would cause them to damp off 
and encourage the attack of insect pests, which are very trouble¬ 
some at this period. The labour required in constantly watering 
and tending such an immense number of pots is very great, and 
keeps up the price of these beautiful annuals. 
Autumn Stocks and Wallflowers require much the same treat¬ 
ment, but in their case a much longer period is required for growing 
and ripening the seed. The seed is sown in July, and the plants 
potted in the same way and kept through the winter, a very difficult 
thing where proper accommodation does not exist, and the thermo¬ 
meter is often several degrees below zero. The larger growers who 
have the room keep them in cool houses, but in small establish¬ 
ments where such is not obtainable they are kept in pits well 
covered with litter, air being admitted on fine days. If the winter 
proves severe the plants suffer accordingly, as the pits become 
snowed and frozen for weeks together, and want of air causes many 
to damp off. 
Asters form another important feature, perhaps even more so 
than Stocks, and are grown by acres, one firm alone devoting over 
100 acres to them. They are raised in pits, and afterwards planted 
out on the beds where it is intended to grow them for seed. The 
distance they are planted apart varies according to the variety, but 
is seldom less than a foot each way. The planting is done by 
gangs of men, much in the same manner as we place out Cabbages, 
and each plant is carefully watered to settle the soil around it, the 
water being conveyed to the fields by carts specially constructed 
for this purpose. After this they require little attention except in 
hoeing and keeping the soil clean until they come into bloom, when 
they must be constantly examined, and all stragglers and “ button¬ 
eyed ” ones removed, as the best strains will in some seasons show 
a small percentage of the latter. The best flowers are selected and 
marked, and the seed of these is kept for stock seed for next year’s 
growing. The seed ripens in September, but some of the later 
sorts often remain till early in October before it is fit to gather ; 
indeed I have gathered the Aster seed when the snow was on the 
ground. 
Petunias, which are grown in large quantities, are raised in pits, 
then potted and placed on stages in the open, after the same manner 
as Stocks. They require much attention, as each bloom has to be 
fertilised by hand to ensure setting for seed. The pollen from the 
double blooms is very difficult to obtain ; the flowers being so dense 
that they have often to be removed from the plant, then placed in 
wet sand and pulled open so as to allow the sun and air to ripen the 
pollen, which is carefully removed and placed on the finest single 
blooms. The seed saved from these is called double, but it is rarely 
possible to obtain more than 25 to 30 per cent. 
Calceolarias are sown in July and August, and when large 
enough are pricked off into pans, and atter two or three shifts they 
are finally placed in 6-inch pots about the end of January, and as 
soon as the weather permits (usually in May) they are arranged 
upon stages outside where they are to bloom and setd. They are 
very shy seeders, and it is only by careful hybridisation that a crop 
can be ensured. Every bloom is examined, and the pollen taken 
from the stamens and placed on the pistil, and as the operation 
must be performed when the pollen is quite ripe they must be 
looked through nearly every day to catch each bloom as it comes to 
maturity. A constant and abundant supply of water during the 
blooming period is very essential. 
Carnations are very important, and must not be passed over 
without a few words. These are grown on stages as before de- 
Kcribed, and are propagated either by cuttings or layers. The latter 
method is usually aclopted, and is performed by placing a collar or 
hoop of wood about 1.J or 2 inches deep round the top of the pot 
and filling up with soil; into this the young shoots are layered, and 
when sufficiently rooted are taken off and potted, the hoop and 
extra soil are then removed, and the mother plant kept to ripen 
what seed there may be on it. The seed is very diflfii^ult to obtain 
under any circumstances, and then only in small quantities. 'Ihe 
supply is always limited, and there is not much chance of its 
ever being much cheaper than at the present time. In one 
establishment I visited 10 to 15,000 pots were kept going for 
these alone. 
Cinerarias, Begonias, and Gloxinias are also grown in large 
quantities, and under much the same treatment as here. The two 
latter have to be carefully hybridised to ensure a crop of seed. 
Primulas, Cyclamen, and many others too numerous to refer to 
are found in great numbers. 
Of the commoner kinds of annuals I cannot say ranch except 
that they are grown in quantities as would astonish a great many. 
Mignonette and Uianthus are grown by the ton._ Pansies aLo 
come in for a large share, and several hundredweights are often 
harvested by one firm alone ; they require a great deal of attention 
during the seeding season and must bo caught at the right time, if 
not the pod bursts and the seed is scattered. Some seedsmen go 
in extensively for growing Everlastings and reap many acres of them 
