November 30, 1907. 
TUB GARDENING WORLD 
757 
Petunias. 
Petunias are one of the most useful 
classes of plants that we have, either 
used for bedding or as a pot plant for 
conservatory decoration. A bed of single 
Petunias (more especially if they are of 
the large-flowered type) give almost a 
tropical appearance to tne garden, so 
bright are the colours. For hanging- 
baskets, vases, and for sloping beds, these 
plants make a grand combination with 
Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, but 1 think that 
they look best when they have a bed to 
themselves, for then there is nothing else 
to detract the attention, and one can then 
fullv appreciate their loveliness. 
They are very useful, too, as pot plants 
for groups. It is the usual thing to only 
grow the double varieties under glass, but 
those who have never tried the single ones 
as pot plants should do so, for they are 
extremely useful. 
The cultivation of Petunias is most 
simple, and considering the quantity of 
bloom that may be obtained u]mn a plant, 
it is a matter of surprise to me tnat more 
amateurs do not grow them, more par¬ 
ticularly those amateurs who do a little 
exhibiting; for at most shows there is a 
class for “ three distinct double Petunias,’ 
and as a general thing this “class is very 
much neglected. The illustration shows a 
very handsome double white variety, 
fringed on the edges. 
Propagation by Seed. 
Propagation may be effected either by 
means of seed or by cuttings. The seed 
should be procured from a reliable firm, 
and this is of greater importance still 
when one is buying the seed of the double 
varieties, for if a cheap packet of seed is 
sown, it is not an unusual thing for about 
go per cent, of the plants to bear single 
flowers instead of double ones. FV ith the 
best of seed there is always a certain quan¬ 
tity of the seedlings that will be worthless, 
so "that the reader will see the necessity 
of buving good seeds to begin with. 
The best time to sow the seed is about 
the end of February or the beginning of 
March, in pots or pans of finely sifted 
sandy soil and leaf mould in equal quan¬ 
tities. The pans should be well drained, 
the seed sprinkled evenly on the surface 
of the soil, and each pan covered with a 
pane of glass to prevent the moisture 
evaporating too quickly, as this is a great 
help to the seeds in germinating. The 
best temperature for the seed to be put in 
to germinate is between 50 deg. C. and 
60 deg. C., and as soon as the seedlings 
make their appearance tilt the glass so 
that air may be admitted, and in a few 
days remove it altogether. As soon as the 
seedlings are large enough to handle, 
prick them out in boxes, about two inches 
apart each way, to strengthen, or they 
may be potted up into small pots at once. 
The single varieties are raised in exactly 
the same way as the double ones, with the 
exception of"being potted up, if they are 
all to be used for bedding out, though 1 
should certainly advise all to pot a few 
plants and use them for conservatory 
decoration. , r , 
The plants that are to be used for plant¬ 
ing outside should be transferred to the 
cold frames about the beginning of April, 
and on all fine days air should be given, 
so that the plants may be gradually- 
hardened off ready for planting out at the 
end of May. 
Plants that are to be used for conserva¬ 
tory work should be potted on into 48's, 
using a mixture of sandy loam three parts, 
and leaf mould and silver sand one part. 
When the plants have grown a few inches 
high, the centres should be taken out to 
encourage a bushy habit, and as the 
blooms fade they should be picked off to 
keep the plants continually 7 blooming. 
It is a natural law for most plants to 
throw flowers, and for those flowers to 
die away and seed vessels to form, and 
after the seed has ripened for the plant 
either to die away altogether, or at least 
die away for a season, excepting in the 
case of a few evergreen subjects. All the 
plant’s energies are directed to one end — 
to flower and to ripen the seed, and by 
this means propagate itself and so pre¬ 
vent the species from extinction. Thus, 
by keeping all the dead blooms off a plant 
we are only encouraging fresh ones to 
form, and this will go on until the plant’s 
energies are all used up. This fact is 
particularly noticeable with Sweet Peas 
and Violas. As soon as seed pods begin 
to form, at the same time flowering be¬ 
comes less and soon ceases altogether. 
This same law applies to nearly 7 all 
plants, for as soon as a plant has ripened 
its seed, it has fulfilled its mission. 
(To be concluded.) 
-- 
Royal Caledonian H.S. 
In consequence of the opening of the 
Scottish National Exhibition early in 
May, 1908, the Council of the Royal Cale¬ 
donian Horticultural Society have fixed 
April 15 and 16 as the date of their spring 
show. An advance schedule has been 
published by Mr. P. Murray Thomson, 
S.S.C., the secretary 7 , 5, York Place, 
Edinburgh. 
Petunia Double White Fringed. 
