There is a Proper 
Time for Germination 
Seeds of nearly all annuals, biennials and 
monocarpic plants, will germinate anytime 
of the year, if given warmth and moisture 
but seeds of alpine perennials are very 
particular as to the time of germination. 
Usually March is the best time for them. 
The seed of many perennial plants, that 
usually are classed as requiring immediate 
planting, when ripe, will not germinate 
during the first year, but do germinate the 
second year. I fear many planters have 
thrown good seed away under these con- 
ditions. 
Proper seed beds is very necessary for 
many of the tree and shrub seeds as well 
as most of the alpines and many others 
that have not been ‘‘tamed” as yet from the 
wild state. A plant that depends to its 
long established way of reproduction, will 
require these conditions from the flower 
grower and any deviation from the require- 
ments only result in many seeds being lost. 
Under garden conditions many plantd 
have been “tamed” as they say; suppose a 
plant required an acid treatment or some 
other chemicial reaction before it would 
germinate, then if planted in the ofdinary 
way in the garden a large loss would occur 
but one seed might germinate and _ this 
particular seed probably would have some 
little character different to the parent; if 
left to nature, it probably would be elimin+ 
ated by natural selection, but in the hands 
of an observing flower grower, it would be 
increased and the next year more seed would 
germinate with characters that would influ- 
ence the seed to germinate in a practical way 
and after many such selections its traits 
would be entirely different from the origin- 
al species. 
SELF-FERTILE FRUIT TREES 
At different times, I have seen plantings 
of fruit trees where trees failed to produce 
enough fruit to pay for the space they occup- 
ied. 
Some 40 years ago there was a long row 
of Bartlett pears on my father’s farm and, 
of course, they bore very little fruit, there 
not being any other varieties in the orchard. 
On our own farm, we have several variet- 
ies of pears in one planting and we always 
have a heavy crop of fruit on all trees. It 
is very important when making a selection 
of fruit trees, to have varieties that will, 
fertilize each others as many varieties of 
fruit trees are not self-fertile and must 
have some other variety to provide the pollen 
and to be also considered is the time of the 
season the tree blooms; one late flowering 
tree want do a very early flowering tree 
much good. 
In a later issue we will try to make up a 
list of fruit trees that require this treatment. 
LIGHT AND SEEDS 
Most seeds do not germinate as well in 
light, in fact, many such as Delphinium, 
Larkspur, Poppies, Adonis, etc. are actually 
retarded. 
Therefore, as a general rule, it is best to 
give some protection from direct light, to 
germinating seeds, especially in open beds. 
This is usually accomplished by placing 
newspapers over the seed container or by 
shading seed beds with muslin or lath shade. 
The seed list is now printed seperately 
from the magazine; if you do not have a 
copy, it will be necessary to drop us a postal. 
*’ GIANT DELPHINIUMS 
These can be grown from Spring Sowing 
DIANTHUS FOR ROCK GARDENS 
For the rockery or wall gardens the fol- 
lowing species are especially adapted and 
these gardens are not complete without a 
good showing of them. 
Dianthus alpinus. 
arenarius. 
caesius. 
cruenthus. 
deltoides. 
fragrans. 
forcatus. 
neglectus. 
petraeus. 
sylvestris. 
Wimmerii. 
They are all of the easiest culture and with 
out any special requirements. Never plant 
them in a shady place. If the soil is gritty, 
so much the better. It must be well drained. 
and raised beds are ideal. 
All demand an alkaline soil and its best 
to apply lime to the soil, especially in its 
first preparation. 
Ci{AMOMILE FGR A LAWN 
In our last issue we asked for information 
on using Chamomile as a lawn where it 
is difficult to grow ordinary lawn grass. 
The following suggestions were recently 
made in an English publication. 
Chamomile is a tough and fragrant 
lawn plant on poor soils. Yarrow also 
makes an excellent covering on dry soils. 
Thyme is also recommended and all should 
be planted with grass. 
Speedwell, with its showy blue flowers, is 
especially recommendel. Woodrush, a weed. 
on poor acid soils, is so grass-like that it 
is recommended, in many situations. 
It would be interesting to hear from any 
reader who has tried out any of the above 
plants for lawn purposes on poor soils. 
ARDISIA CRENULATA 
Ardisia crenulata is one of the most pop- 
ular of the Christmas berried plants as well 
as a good house plant. 
Sow the seeds the latter part of January 
and after they are over a year old they 
seldom. are without berries. 
Cover the seeds about 1/4 inch and keep 
in a cool house. The pulp can be removed 
before planting. Seed sown in January 
will produce 4” pot plants by fall. 
bye-KORN-iss; 
Bicornis: two horned. 
271 
New Mailing Costs 
So many inquiries have been made of late 
for copies of the magazine and the seed 
list that it seems that some remarks should 
be made as to the publishing of these lists. 
Of course. it is all connected to that 
high cost man. The present seed list of 64 
pages and the 16 page magazine weighs 
just a half pound; we pay 1842¢ per lb. 
for the inside paper, more for the cover and 
the envelope so that you can see that for 
paper alone the February issue costs at 
least TEN CENTS! Add to this the postage 
at ten cents a lb. and more, which is the 
very cheapest rate we can get and it makes 
these two costs alone amount to 15 cents! 
Do not think tho that this is the greater 
share of the costs; the composition costs 
near a thousand dollars just for the seed 
list; cuts, labor,and innumerable other items 
run the cost up to such an amount that you 
would not believe us if we gave the figure. 
In the good olden times we would hold 
on to an inquiry 2-3 years; that cannot be 
done any more. Those days are now behind 
us. ; : 
This year the seed list, alone, is being 
sent only to last years customers; the mag- 
azine section only to the regular subscribers 
with the seed list included, of course. Every 
seed list will go to subscribers but future 
seed lists will be mailed once to last years 
buyers. A new seed list is now being made 
up and will be printed for mailing sometime 
in late February or March; this will be mail- 
ed to the subscribers and those ordering! 
from the number 9 seed list that is now be- 
ing mailed out; any one else wishing the 
seed list will have to drop us a postal re- 
questing it. ; 
The practice in the past was to make a 
plate for every request; this, too, cannot be 
done any more. The catalog is mailed and 
no other record is made on the name. Pur- 
chasers, of course, are given a plate and 
sent the next seed list. 
The next question now is, whether the 
seed list can be mailed free any more! 
CELOSIA or COCKSCOMB 
The dwarf type is especially fine for pots 
or for low beds. The taller types are suit- 
able for taller beds and for cut flowers. 
Sow the seeds during March in a 65-70 
degree temperature. Feed with liquid man- 
ure, once a week, when the plants have 
been potted and are well rooted. 
Pot seedlings firmly, singly in pots as 
soon as large enough. The watering has 
to be done carefully as they should not be 
overwatered. Syringe plants once or twice 
each day and give plenty of air. 
Get the best strain of dwarf 
Celosia cristata. 
If you have never grown the feathered 
types of Cockscomb, you should do so this 
year. They are easy to grow and can be 
started as late as April. They want a rich 
soil. In a bed or in the border a clump 
of 10-15 plants spaced 2 feet apart, give 
a wonderful display. The colors are also 
so pretty and showy. 
NO ADDRESS! 
It is quite common for letters and even 
orders, to come in without a proper address. 
While it is well to place your address on 
the envelope, it is more important that it 
be on’ your order. It has to be written 
there by us if not there., 
Mrs. Nathalie R. Cook sends in an order 
for Azalea seed, no other address; so if she 
sees this please drop us a postal. 
types of 
