THE PETUNIA. 
23 
weather either to fertilize, or when that happens to mature 
their seeds ; hence the necessity of a pit or some such protection 
in the blooming season. It is well known to all acquainted with 
the laws which govern the vegetable productions of the earth, 
that a certain amount and continuance of dryness in the sur¬ 
rounding atmosphere are essentially requisite to enable the plant 
to fully develope its generative powers; and the want of these is 
the frequent cause of failure in the production of good seed and 
so of crops. This is perhaps beyond removal in relation to 
things of extent requiring the open air; but with subjects like 
the present, which are portable at pleasure, we see no difficulty 
in remedying this defect of our climate. 
We will suppose a collection to be formed of strong healthy 
plants, and containing some of the best sorts. About the be¬ 
ginning of April they should be placed in large pots, with any 
light rich soil, such as a mixture of leaf-mould loam, and 
decayed hotbed manure ; there should be sufficient of this earth 
in the pots to sustain the plants throughout the following 
summer, without being again shifted. Petunias frequently 
commence blooming about the beginning of May; the first 
flowers may be taken advantage of to decorate the greenhouse 
or other place, as it is not these that are to be depended on for 
the production of seed, but such as appear about the com¬ 
mencement of the settled weather of June or July; at this time 
the plants should be taken to the pits, the better to protect the 
flowers from occasional showers and other moisture ; in this 
situation they require an abundant supply of water and air, 
with free exposure to bright sun-shine so long as they will bear 
it, — which they will do to any extent (if regularly watered) 
until the roots have entirely filled the pots. Should it happen 
that cloudy weather prevails, advantage of every gleam of sun¬ 
shine should be taken to assist the plants by artificial fertilizing; 
but in anything like the average summer weather this will 
not be required, as the plants themselves, assisted by insects, 
will perform the operation ; after the seed is set, it will only be 
necessary to keep the head of the plant dry, that moisture may 
not lodge in the capsule, and so destroy it; — each pod of seed 
should be gathered as it becomes ripe, and the whole kept in 
the usual way until the season for sowing, which we recom¬ 
mend to be the early part of March, a slight hotbed, such as is 
