54 
D. M. Ferry &, Co'S Descriptive Catalogue. 
A Select Descriptive List 
OF CHOICE IMPORTED 
RIoWei 1 Seed£ 
Wl TH 
BRIEF HINTS ON SOWING AND CULTIVATING. 
Many, who do not meet with the success they had expected, in the culture of a general list of Flowers attrib¬ 
ute the difficulty solely to the seed, overlooking the important fact that nearly the entire range of Flower Seeds 
require careful and particular treatment and the further fact that the treatment and conditions which with one va¬ 
riety will produce the most satisfactory results may utterly blight another. 
To ensure success the conditions and requirements of the several species as to soil, moisture, heat, light, etc., 
should be studied And then observed in culture. We feel sure that the pleasure resulting from a large and varied 
collection of Flowers will amply compensate for the time and care given to the subject. 
Selection Of VurietieH. —Success in flower culture depends quite largely upon a judicious selection 
of varieties. Every sort we offer is, under certain conditions, attractive and desirable, but some of Ihem, while ex¬ 
ceedingly beautiful under favorable circumstances, will be most unsatisfactory and little better than weeds under 
others; we therefore urge our friends to study carefully the following pages before ordering, that they may select 
the sorts best suited to their wants. 
Tile Hoil.— Another great object to be considered is the soil into which flower seeds arc to be sown. The 
soil best adapted to flowering plants generally, is a light, friable loam, containing a sufficient amount of sand to 
render it porous. A great many varieties will lii>e in almost any kind of soil, except it be extremely dry, calcar¬ 
eous, or of a stiff, heavy character ; still, to give them a fair chance for development, some little pains should be 
taken in adding to the soil, as much as possible, what may be wanting in it. Most flowers arc better if produced 
on plants of most vigorous growth, so the greater portion of the garden should be prepared by deep digging, 
thorough pulverization, and liberal enriching with large quantities of well rotted manure. On the other hand, 
some sorts do best on very poor soil, so a portion of the garden should be left without enriching at all. As the 
process of germination is shorter or longer in the different kinds of seeds, the patience of the cultivator is often 
sorely tried with seeds of a slowly germinating character; the patience of a devoted florist, however, is never ex¬ 
hausted in these manipulations, and the certainty of his final success repays him fully for the trouble. 
Duration and Hardiness. —For the purpose of giving general cultural directions, flowering 
plants may be divided into several classes based upon their duration and hardiness; but it is evident that such a 
division could only be correct for a certain latitude and for certain conditions, and while the classification we have 
followed applies generally to the Central and Northern States yet some which are classed as half hardy maybe ten¬ 
der at the north or in unfavorable exposures and quite hardy at the South, or in exceptionally favorable situations. 
Hardy Annuals include those plants which complete their growth the first season and then die, and 
which being natives of the same latitude, or if native of a warmer climate,develop so rapidly that if the seed is sown 
in the open ground the plants will come to perfect maturity before they are liable to be killed by frost. 
Culture. - -Carefully study the descriptions and cultural directions of the variety and select suitable soil and 
note the distance apart the plants need to be for perfect development. Then make the ground very mellow, free 
from lumps and smooth, and provide a board about one-half inch thick, and two or three feet long, and about three 
inches wide. Press the edge of this board into the soil so as to make a groove as deep as the seed is to be planted, 
remembering that more seeds of this class are lost through too deep planting than from any other cause and that, 
generally, seeds should not be covered to a depth greater than two or three times their diameter. Scatter the seed 
along the groove allowing from four to five of the larger to fifteen or twenty of the smaller seeds to the space each 
plant is to occupy. Cover by pinching the earth together over the seed, turn the board flatwise and press the soil 
down /irmly and evenly. Mark each end of the row with a small stick and repeat at a suitable distance. By 
this method the seed is covered to a uniform depth and the young plants being in rows are more easily seen and 
less liable to be pulled up as weeds, while a little care in thinning will prevent any appearance of stiffness. 
Hiilf Hardy Annuals include such annual plants as, from being natives of warmer climates or of 
slow development, need to be forwarded in the spring by means of artificial heat either in green houses, hot-beds, 
or the dwelling house in order to come to perfection. 
Culture.— Notice in the description of the varieties the soil best suited to the sort. Fill shallow boxes to with¬ 
in one-half inch of the top with light friable earth whose composition is suited to the wants of the par¬ 
ticular plant, and which should be in such a condition of moisture that when pressed together in the hand it will 
form a ball which will retain its shape, but which will fall into fine earth again upon being pinched or struck. Press 
this down evenly and firmly making the surface as smooth as possible and then form grooves with a short thin board 
