PERILLA - PIERIS - POTENTILLA 
NOTE:It is our intention that these seed lists be correct, both as to classification 
and to descriptions....We use Hortus II as our authority....If amy of our readers note 
a mistake, we will certainly deem it a favor if it is pointed out to us. 
PERILLA. (pe-RIL-ah) Labiatae. 
Half hardy annuals valued for their highly colored foliage and used in bedding for 
sub-tropical effect. Thrive in light sandy soils; start seed in March in gentle heat. 
—frutescens crispa. Fol. in many colors much like Coleus; 4 ft; TA............ PERI-1, 15¢ 
1 laGinata ne Letty ae mlaGinated wLOMA LEN we ..cccescs este cect tccsiatlecsesceietti ccs tinatedescboess PERI-1L. 20¢ 
PHACELIA. (fa-SEE-li-ah) Hydrophyllaceae. 
Hardy annuals and perennials with flowers in lavender to blue, in clusters or racemes; 
very pretty in mass plantings. Start early indoors or plant later where the plants are 
to grow. The perennials can be started as late as August. 
—campanularia. Brilliant deep blue fis; dry soil; sun; 9”; RG; HHA... PHAC-2. 15¢ 
—leucophylla. Spikes of white or pink fils; showy RG; 1 ft; HP... PHAC-7. 20¢ 
—tanacetifolia. Bee food; Blue fls especially grown for bees; sow in April ;HA 
Oza2oGs Dep l.co een PHAC-15. 15¢ 
—Whiitlavia. Calif. Bluebells. Blue, bell-shaped fis; 11% ft; HA .. PHAC-17. 15¢ 
SSS aye ZI an eVe bls meat b. Cayo ee aa ies a ae eee PHAC-X. 15¢ 
PHLOGACANTHUS. (flo-ga-CAN-thus) Acanthaceae. 
Somewhat shrubby plants with spikes of attractive flowers, related to Acanthus. 
Best grown in the greenhouse in. warm, damp atrnosphere and rich soil. 
Sarl VESIMOLUS eV OGECTAULCIESIZ.C Came SHIEH te. crsccuescaosersedessscbgssceniaovectaceencontstostesathuseatesncteces PHLK-l. 25¢ 
PHLOMIS. (FLOH-nus) Labiatae. 
Perennial plants suitable for the border and wild garden. They are rather course 
in growth and should be in the back ground plantings. Easily grown from seed. 
—Purple. Showy, easy, vivid purple fis; whorl above whorl; 4 ft; HP.... PHLO-1. 15¢ 
PHYSALIS. FIS-a-lis) HUSK TOMATO, GROUND CHERRY. Solanaceae. 
Easily grown, starting indoors or planting direct to the soil, much like tomatoes. 
—Alkekengi. Chinese Lantern Plant (Francheti) For its red pods; 2’; HA PSAL-1. 15¢ 
PHYSOSTEGIA. (fy-soh-STEE-ji-ah) FALSE DRAGONHEAD. Labiatae. 
Hardy perennials thriving best in a cool moist place with some shade. Beautiful in 
the border or for cutting. 
—virginiana. Fls in spikes, in purplish red to rose-pink; 4 ft; HP.........000... PHOS-4. 15¢ 
= FT LOSC-11AGH OUraitid er tne) OMCs COLOL sc sascupaiietiesssscoratiscowsctasscercuesiseccesss . PHOS-4R. 20¢ 
PIERIS. (py-ER-is) Ericacaea. 
Hvergreen shrubs and small trees native of the N. Am. and Asia. Best in sheltered 
positions, some in the greenhouse; moist sandy loam with peat or leaf mold best; 
partial shade suits them. 
—floribunda. Pretty small ev. sh; short spikes, white bells; to 6 ft; HSh..., PIER-1. 25¢ 
—formosa. Small tree; fls white or pink, drooping panicles; to 20 ft; HSh.... PIER-2. 25¢ 
—japonica. Nice large shrub to 20 ft; fls white; urn-shape, clusters; HSh.... PIER-3. 25¢ 
—ovolifolia. Semi-evergreen to 40 ft; sprays of white bells; HSh........00000... PIER-4. 25¢ 
—taiwanensis. Compact evergreen ;fis long nodding white; 8 ft; TSh.... PIER-6. 35¢ 
——PICHKIiCMe BONG me All, ESD ECCLES Pe TIMEX COla.a cara coer cesassnsousdsonsunaedte cagnavsezsessestedawestbeasesacsersscacses PIER-X. 20¢ 
PLATYCODON. (plat-e-KOH-don) BALLOON FLOWER _ Campanulaceae. 
One showy perennial species, thriving in loamy soils, in full sun, blooming 2nd year. 
—grandiflorum Mixed. White and blue fis; very beautiful; 215 ft; HP........ PLTY-1. 20¢ 
PLUMBAGO. (plum-BAY-go) LEADWORT. Plumbaginaceae. 
Shrubby plants, not hardy in the North. The flowers are in terminal spikes. 
—zayheri. Rare S. Rhodesian sh; pure white fis; drought resistant............ PLUM-5. 25¢ 
POLEMONIUM. (pol-ee-MOH-ne-um) Polemoniaceae. 
Perennials grown in the border; easily grown in rich loam, best from seeds sown in 
the fall. Flowers in blue, purplish white or yellowish, often nodding, in terminal 
corymbs. 
—caeruleum. Fern-like lvs; gorgeous sky blue fis; 3 ft; HP. eects POLE-4. 15¢ 
aa EL LED UETY geen ULE MME LL ECP MLOLIN) ectreatsnscvecssrecsvecnet-oscecescacctce«narctssestonseeaUanerts . POLE-4A. 20¢ 
=carneum,,) hich pink trumpets; RG? partial shade; 1423) HP... ci... sssnssres POLE-6. 25¢ 
. POLE-16. 20¢ 
— lie blue lor whitestis, Mayedune; RG) Uift; HEP. w ccs. ee 
a pee: i P . POLE-21. 25¢ 
—occidentale. Native bog species; blue or violet fis; 142 ft; HP....... , 
—pulcherrimum. Easy and pretty; pale blue fis; fine RG; 1 ft; HP.. .. POLE-25. 25¢ 
—Richardsonii. Blue to purplish fls 4% inch ac; 9” tall; HP................. .. POLE-27. 20¢ 
=P olemoniinie Blend eA mS CCl ES 01 XCC ttre, wrscscececesavesossescensatscanennceaccesaesacsstevsweres> POLE-X. 20¢ 
POTENTILLA. (poh-ten-TIL-ah) CINQUEFOIL Rosaceae. 
A very large genus of plants or sub-shrubs, most of which are hardy in the North. 
They are especially good in the border or rockery; saady soils; The flowers are in 
yellow, white or red, solitary or terminal cymes. 
—argyophylla. Sprays of showy yellow fis 1” ac; RG; 15 in; FE Receccrseeces POTL-12. 25¢ 
——atrosanguinea. Silver lvs; deep crimson fils 44 in. ac; 18 in; HP.... POTL-12A(W). 30¢ 
—atrosanguinea. Red or purple fis; similiar to Potl-12; 9”; HP.... .. POTL-13. 25¢ 
. POTL-49. 25¢ 
—fragiformis. Golden yellow fis 1” ac; 8 in; HP............ccccssssesas os 
.. POTL-52. 35¢ 
—fruticosa. One of the best sh for RG; yellow rose-like fis; to 3 
—fulgens. Silvery lv. trailer; salmon-rose fis; 157; HP... sssscescecsesceneeseee POTL-53. 25¢ 
==Gibsonli= Mixed. sWhite, carmine, —Scarletss 1873) HEP A. cicscciscse.coctvessasstsvas cone POTL-56X. 20¢ 
—macrantha: see Hebe marcrantha. 
—nepalensis hybrids. Rose and rosy crimson; 2 ft; HP. cceceseeseeeeeenees POTL-84. 20¢ 
—nitida. Rose fl, 1” ac; mat-forming; 1 in; RG; Alps; HP............. POTL-86(C). 30¢ 
—recta v. Warrensii. Masses of golden fis; very nice; 18”; HP.................... POTL-106. 20¢ 
=—WATTCNSIisnr SCG) PPOLEMMNIUA, | TOCTA .oeioc vcs sec eecocxsynevecesceszsanstescsceescassnsvacnsnvesce -POTL-106(W). 30¢ 
S— POLOrin tla LONG ie ALL KINGS 17 CG a tacr ence ccauiesctoescascacsasatesseatevssesnssevesceacdcvevouceses POTL-X. 20¢ 
The listing of all flower seeds, runs from the As to the Zs and as often as possible, but 
so as not to crowd other reading matter out. The listings can be considered all available 
as long as the listing has not been passed in the following listing. 
ORDERS FOR SEED MAY BE AS LOW AS ONE PACKET; ORDER AS NEEDED. 
PIONEER SEED COMPANY DIMONDALE MICHIGAN 
135 
Germinating Flower Seed 
By Dr. C. R. Worth 
Fall sowing should be delayed until the 
last possible moment unless it is definitely 
known that the seed will not germinate 
within a few weeks, or unless greenhouse 
facilities are available. Very few plants, 
other than weeds, can survive a severe freeze 
unless they have developed considerably 
beyond the cotyledon stage. Sowings at this 
time may be made in carefully prepared beds 
in the open, yet there is considerablee dang- 
er or loss, as some seedlings will appear 
with the first warm days of spring, and a 
late cold spell may destroy them entirely. If 
the seeds are at all rare, they should be 
sown in a frame so that protection during 
spring cold snaps is possible. 
Fall Sowing Necessary 
Fall sowing seems almost necessary for 
satisfactory germination of a few things, 
particularly Helleborus and Lilium candid- 
um; it is also advisable for species of the 
Buttercup Family, especially Anemone and 
seeds of trees and shrubs. Penstemons will 
probably germinate better from fall sowing, 
yet results from early sowing have shown 
that most species do not require the long 
spell usually assumed to be necessary. 
Winter sowing, that is, during the months 
when the ground is frozen, need be resorted 
to only in the case of late arrival of a few 
kinds of seed that should have been sown 
in the fall. It will probably be necessary to 
sow these seeds in pots or flats, after, which 
they should be set in the open, or in a cold 
shed, for the remainder of the winter. 
Early Spring Sowing 
Very early spring, that is, the first mild 
days, seems to be the best time for sowing 
seed of most hardy perennials, and espec- 
ially of alpines. Here, where at least occas- 
ional freezes, and an occasional snow, can 
be expected into early May, one should make 
the most sowings during the last two weeks 
of March. All sowings at this time are 
made in pots or flats, or in a cold frame if 
available; open ground sowings before the 
middle of April have rarely been successful. 
For a milder climate than that of central 
New York or Michigan, the dates may be 
advanced considerably. The idea is to as- 
sure the seeds of at least a month of cool 
weather before germination is desired. Most 
rock garden plants require at least this brief 
cold treatment, and few seem to object to it. 
Crucifers, composites, Geraniums and Erod- 
iums are as well off, at least, if not sown 
until several weeks later, when mild weather 
can be expected. Primula auricula and 
Sempervivums will not germinate well with- 
out this brief cold treatment, and late sow- 
ings of these two will not come up till the 
following spring. 
Effect of Cold on Seed 
Winter covering of seed pans with snow 
seems rather ineffective. Many hours have 
been spent shoveling snow over pots that had 
been sown in the fall, or had failed to germ- 
inate the previous spring, without seeing ap- 
preciable improvement in germination. On 
the other hand, if the seed beds or pots are 
exposed to late spring snow flurries, seed 
will germinate as if by magic almost as soon 
as the snow melts. Better results have been 
obtained where the frames were covered by 
hotbed sash as soon as the snow had stopped 
falling. 
Freezing of seeds in the refrigerator 
(some gardeners freeze them into the center 
of ice cubes) is an alternative treatment 
that gives good results. At present too 
little is known of the proper time the seeds 
Continued on Page 139 
