BUIST’S FLOWER SEEDS 
87 
Cultural Directions for Flower Seeds 
T HE very general attention that is being 
given to the cultivation of Flower Seeds 
requires a few suggestions for the guidance 
of the inexperienced, who generally blame 
any misfortune that may occur in their 
vegetating or growing on the poor seeds and 
seedsman. We do not pretend to say that 
they are always exempt from blame, for we 
are convinced that there are many seeds sold 
that are perfectly worthless; yet when we 
hear of a novice who sowed his Calceolarias 
in the garden and planted his Stocks like 
Peas, we cannot help thinking that the mis' 
fortune more frequently occurs from the im' 
proper treatment than from inferior seeds. 
Care should be taken not to sow before the 
ground becomes slightly warm, say, during 
the month of May about Philadelphia. The 
soil should be well pulverized, and, if possible, 
turned up before Winter, and on no account 
work it in wet weather. The strength of the 
plants and their ability to produce a profuse 
bloom, will depend mostly upon the richness 
of the soil; therefore work into it thoroughly 
rotted manure, or, what is better, mould 
formed from decayed leaves. There are two 
ways of sowing seeds; the one in the border 
where they are intended to remain; the other 
in prepared beds, from which they are trans' 
planted to the Flower Garden. The former 
plan, although the one most generally 
adopted, has many inconveniences, one of the 
principal of which is the ground is occupied 
for a long period before they arrive at per 
fection. It would, therefore, be more advis' 
able, if it were possible, to sow all Annuals 
in prepared beds, and afterwards transplant 
to the Flower Borders; but there are some 
that will not bear transplanting, but these 
exceptions are few. There should also be 
discretion used in their sowing; for instance, 
small delicate seeds should merely be sown on 
the surface, some barely pressed into the soil, 
and others fully oneTourth of an inch deep; 
in most cases, a slight sprinkle of dampened 
moss will cause them to vegetate more freely, 
and prevent the surface soil from becoming 
baked; but as soon as the plants appear, it 
should be removed. When the seedlings are 
up, they should be carefully and sufficiently 
thinned out to prevent their being injured by 
crowding, and when a few inches high, re' 
move them to the Flower Borders. Tail' 
growing varieties should, when necessary, 
have neat supports, to prevent damage from 
wind and rain; this additional care will be 
amply repaid in the duration and beauty of 
the plants. 
The following general rules apply to all: 
Make the surface of the soil as fine, 
smooth and level as possible; do not plant 
when the ground is wet; cover each lot of 
seeds to a uniform depth, which should not be 
more than four to six times the diameter of the 
seed; press the soil firmly over the seed; plant 
in rows so that the starting plants can be seen 
easily; thin out the young plants to prevent 
crowding and keep entirely free from weeds. 
ANNUALS are exclusively raised from seed. They attain perfection and last for one season only; they 
are divided into three classes—hardy, half-hardy and tender. Hardy Annuals are such as will stand a severe 
frost, half-hardy are more delicate, and tender Annuals will perish with the slightest frost. 
BIENNIALS are those plants that flower the second year from sowing of the seed, and then perish. 
PERENNIALS are herbaceous plants which die down during the Winter, and spring up and bloom the follow' 
ing season; they should be covered late in the Fall with well-rotted manure, which should be dug about the 
roots in the Spring. Tender Perennials should be dug up and stored away free from frost, and planted out in 
early Spring. 
