Most persons procure house plants from the 
greenhouses, and when hut one or two of a kind 
are needed this is a good plan. Some, however, 
have greenhouses and desire many plants, and 
others take pride and pleasure in growing from 
seed — in watching every day’s mysterious growth, 
from the tiny seed-leaf to the fully developed 
plant, in all its grand display of beauty. To all 
such we shall he happy to furnish seeds. The 
seeds of Greenhouse plants are very small and 
delicate, generally, and require the greatest care 
to ensure success; and not only care but knowl¬ 
edge, for many are natives of milder climates, and 
our treatment is, of course, artificial, as we have to 
endeavor to give them the conditions under which they flourish in their native homes. 
These conditions are usually warmth and moisture — a humid, warm air as well as soil. 1 he best 
advice we can give in regard to sowing the fine and delicate seeds is this : Sow the seeds in 
boxes or large pots. Obtain a mellow soil, such as could be made by rotting turf, and to this 
add about one-fourth sand, which will make a soil that will not bake. See that it is free from 
worms and insects of all kinds. Sow the seeds directly on the surface, and then dust on top a 
little fine earth through a sieve. The work so far 
is well done. How, now, shall be secured the 
moisture, and warmth, and air necessary ? If you 
pour on water, even from a fine rose, it is very 
likely your seeds will be washed down into the light 
earth and be ruined; so, then, just put on water in 
spray. As the seeds are so near the surface it will 
not answer to let the sun shine upon them directly, 
or it would dry them up in five minutes, so the 
boxes in which the seeds are sown must be shaded. 
Now we have only to look at the atmosphere. If 
the air of the house is dry and dusty, the seeds will 
have a hard time, and perhaps will be ruined, 
and when this is the case, cover the boxes or pots 
with glass, and that will secure a damp atmos¬ 
phere, caused by the moisture arising from the 
earth. When the plants are up they must have a 
little air, and sometimes sunshine, or they will be¬ 
come mouldy and decay near the surface of the 
ground. So, watch, and if you see signs of droop- 
ing, give air immediately. As the seeds are 
mostly delicate, it is best to make several sowings 
most of the kinds in this Department ; others will be found in the Department of Tender Plants. 
CINERARIA 
at different times. We give engravings of 
