The Culture Of Vegetables And Flowers From Seeds And Roots Part 24

May is early enough to commence operations, and July is the limit for sowing. As a rule, the June sowing will produce the quickest, strongest, and most robust plants.

The soil, whatever its composition, should be rich, firm, and, above all, porous. Press it well into the pots or pans, and make the surface slightly convex and quite smooth. A compost that has been properly prepared will not need water; but should water become needful, it must be given by partially submerging the pans. The seed is as fine as snuff, and requires delicate handling. It is easily lost or blown away, and therefore it is wise not to open the packet until perfectly ready to sow. Distribute the seed evenly and sift over it a mere dusting of fine earth. Place a sheet of gla.s.s upon each pot or pan, and the gla.s.s must be either turned or wiped daily. This not only checks rapid evaporation, but prevents the attacks of vermin. Germination is always slower on an open than on a close stage. Perhaps the best possible position is a moist shady part of a vinery, if care be taken when syringing the vines to prevent the spray from falling upon the seed-pans.

Under favourable circ.u.mstances, from seven to nine days will suffice to bring the seedlings up in force, and very few will appear afterwards.

When they are through the soil remove the sheet of gla.s.s, and give them prompt attention, or they will rapidly damp off. Immediately the second leaf appears, tiny as the plants may be and difficult to handle, commence p.r.i.c.king them off into other pots prepared to receive them, for it is unsafe to wait until they become strong. Allow about two inches between the plants. The occupants of each pan may generally be p.r.i.c.ked off in about three operations, and there should be only the shortest possible intervals between.

With many subjects it is a safe rule to use the robust seedlings and throw the weakly ones away. This practice will not do in the case of Calceolarias, or some of the most charming colours that can grace the conservatory or greenhouse will be lost. The strongest seedlings generally produce flowers in which yellow largely predominates, a fact that can easily be verified by keeping the plants under different numbers. But it must not be inferred that because the remainder are somewhat weaker at the outset they will not eventually make robust plants.

Freely mix silver sand with the potting mould, and raise the surface higher in the centre than at the edge of the pot. From the first appearance of the seedlings shading is of the utmost importance, for even a brief period of direct suns.h.i.+ne will certainly prove destructive.

Do not allow the plants to become dry for a moment, but give frequent gentle sprinklings of water, and rain-water is preferable. As the soil hardens, stir the surface with a pointed stick, not too deep, and give water a few hours after. About a month of this treatment should find each plant in the possession of four or five leaves. Then prepare thumb pots with small crocks, cover the crocks with clean moss and fill with rich porous soil. To these transfer the plants with extreme care, lifting each one with as much soil adhering to the roots as a skilful hand can make them carry. Place them in a frame, or in the sheltered part of a greenhouse, quite free from dripping water. Always give air on suitable days, and on the leeward side of the house.

Keep a sharp look-out for aphis, to the attacks of which Calceolarias are peculiarly liable. Fumigation is the best remedy, and it should be undertaken in the evening; a still atmosphere renders the operation more certain. Water carefully on the following morning, and shade from the sun.

By September the plants should be in large 60-pots, and it is then quite time to begin the preparation for wintering. Some growers put them in heat, and are successful, but the heat must be very moderate, and even then we regard the practice as dangerous. Place the plants near the gla.s.s, and at one end of the house where they will obtain plenty of side light, as well as light from above. During severe frosts it may be well to draw them back or remove them to a shelf lower down and towards the centre of the house, but they must be restored as soon as possible to the fullest light obtainable, as they have to do all their growth under gla.s.s. The more air that can safely be given, the better, and dispense with fire-heat if a temperature of 45 to 55 can be maintained without it.

When growth commences in spring, which will generally be early in March, give each plant its final s.h.i.+ft into eight-or ten-inch pots. This must be done before the buds push up, or there will be more foliage than flowers.

The following is the compost we advise: one bushel good yellow loam, half-bushel leaf-soil, one gallon silver sand, a pound of Sutton's A 1 Garden Manure, and a pint of soot, well mixed at least ten days before use. Any sourness in the soil will be fatal to flowering. The compost must be carefully 'firmed' into the pots, but no severe pressure should be employed, or the roots will not run freely.

Neglect as to temperature or humidity will have to be paid for in long joints, green fly, red spider, or in some other way. But there are no plants of high quality that grow more thriftily if protected from cold winds and kept perfectly clean. A light airy greenhouse is their proper place, and they must have ample headroom.

After the pots are filled with roots, not before, manure water may be administered until the flower-heads begin to show colour, when pure soft water only should be used. About a fortnight in advance of the full display the branches must be tied to supports. If skilfully managed the supports will not be visible.

It may be that a few large specimens are required. If so, s.h.i.+ft the most promising plants into 6-size pots. These large Calceolarias will need regular supplies of liquid manure until the bloom is well up, and if the pots are efficiently drained and the plants in a thriving condition, a rather strong beverage will suit them. For all ordinary purposes, however, plants may be allowed to flower in eight-or ten-inch pots, and for these one s.h.i.+ft after the winter is sufficient.

==New Types of Calceolaria.==--There are now available a number of hybrid half-hardy perennial varieties, of which =C. profusa= (=Clibrani=) is the most popular, that bear the same relation to the Large-flowered Calceolaria as the Star Cineraria does to the Florist's Cineraria. In point of size the blooms produced by these new types are smaller than those of the Large-flowered section, but the tall graceful sprays are extremely beautiful and of the greatest decorative value. Except that seed should be sown earlier (February and March are the proper months), the plants should receive precisely the same treatment as that already described for Herbaceous Calceolaria.

==CALCEOLARIA, SHRUBBY==

==Calceolaria rugosa. Half-hardy perennial==

Notwithstanding the ease with which cuttings of the Shrubby Calceolaria can be carried through a severe winter, there is a growing disposition to obtain the required number of plants from seed sown in February; and seedlings have the advantage of great variety of colour. A frame or greenhouse, and the most ordinary treatment, will suffice to insure a large stock of attractive healthy plants for the embellishment of beds and borders.

==CAMPANULA and CANTERBURY BELL==

==Hardy annual, hardy biennial, and hardy perennial==

Among the numerous and diverse forms in the order Campanulaceae are many flowers of great value in the garden, including Single, Double, and Cup and Saucer strains of the popular Canterbury Bell (=C. medium=). The impression that some Campanulas are shy growers and require exceptionally careful treatment may arise from the frail habit of certain varieties, or from the fact that some of them occasionally fail to bloom within twelve months from date of sowing. The idea is not worth a moment's consideration. In moderately rich, well-drained soil the finest Campanulas not only prove to be thoroughly hardy, but they are most graceful in herbaceous borders or beds, and they may also be used alone in bold clumps with splendid effect. For instance, the handsome Chimney Campanulas (=C. pyramidalis= and =C. pyramidalis alba=) frequently attain a height of six feet or more, and st.u.r.dy spikes occasionally measure eight and even ten feet from base to tip. Such specimens are magnificent ornaments in conservatories and corridors, and cannot fail to arrest attention at the back of herbaceous borders, or when used as isolated plants on lawns. When grown in pots use a light rich compost, taking care to insure perfect drainage. The plants must never be allowed to become dry, as this not only checks growth but renders them liable to attack by red spider or green fly. Another distinctive subject for the decoration of the conservatory is =C.

grandis=, which may be described as a dwarf Chimney Campanula. The freely branching plants, covered with attractive flowers, also form a striking group when grown in the open border.

Altogether different in character is =C. persicifolia grandiflora=, or the Peach-leaved Bell-flower as it is sometimes called. This plant is lighter and more graceful than the Canterbury Bell. It throws up handsome stems, two feet high, clothed from the ground with lance-like leaves and elegant bells which quiver in the slightest breeze. An interesting plant is the Giant Harebell, a dainty flower on a slender stem, resembling the wild variety in form, but larger, richer in colour, and a more profuse bloomer. =C. glomerata= is one of the hardiest plants that can be grown in any garden, and the large close heads of deep blue bells have long been familiar in herbaceous borders. For its very fine glistening, deep blue, erect flowers, =C. grandiflora= is also a great favourite.

Campanulas were formerly propagated by division, but this treatment has created the impression that they are unworthy to be ranked among the perennials. From seed, the plants are extremely robust. =C. persicifolia grandiflora= resents division, which frequently results in weakened growth and a tendency, especially in poor or badly drained soil, to dwindle away. The only satisfactory method of growing Campanulas is to raise plants annually from good strains of seed. If sown in gentle heat early in the year--February is the usual month--many of the varieties flower the same season. When they are well started, plenty of light and air must be admitted. Unless intended for potting they should be planted out in good soil where they will require no more care than is bestowed on the borders generally. Seed can also be sown in the open ground from May to July; transplant in autumn for flowering in the following season.

During hot weather, particularly on light soil, the plants need to be well watered, but in retentive ground thorough drainage must be insured.

Should signs of debility appear, transplant to rich soil, where they will soon regain vigour.

A popular half-hardy Campanula is =C. fragilis=, of trailing habit. The starry pale blue flowers are seen to most advantage in hanging-baskets.

The charm of these flowers is wholly lost if they are placed on a stage in the greenhouse; and they are not entirely satisfactory in a window where the light is transmitted through the petals, as this robs them of colour and substance. But hanging in a conservatory with plenty of air and s.p.a.ce their slender drooping stems are very graceful, and the light reflected from the flowers does full justice to their beauty. Sow in pans during February or March and pot on as required.

All the foregoing are perennials, but two little hardy annual Campanulas are =Attica= and =A. alba=, growing about six inches high. They make useful foreground plants, and are quite at home in rock gardens. Sow in April on light soil.

==The Canterbury Bell== has already been alluded to; it is a charming hardy biennial forming a valuable feature of the mixed border. The large semi-double blooms of the Cup and Saucer cla.s.s and the double varieties are modern introductions which have become extremely popular; the range of colours now includes the most delicate shades of pink, mauve, and blue, in addition to pure white. Seed may be sown from April to July.

When the seedlings are large enough transplant them where required for flowering in the summer of the succeeding year. But Canterbury Bells are also interesting in the greenhouse during spring; for this work pot them in October and on to December. So treated, they bloom even more generously than in the garden. There can be no more beautiful adornment for a hall or large drawing-room than a well-placed group of the fine white flowers, backed by a ma.s.s of dark-foliaged plants.

==CANNA==

==Indian Shot. Half-hardy perennial==

Cannas have ceased to be regarded simply as sub-tropical foliage plants, adapted only for the adornment of beds and borders. They have not lost their merits for this purpose, although in all probability the taller forms will be less grown than formerly, because the new dwarf varieties, which maintain a high standard of beauty in the foliage, include a diversity of rich tints previously unknown, and they possess the additional merit of producing flowers that have lifted the race into prominence as brilliant decorative subjects for the garden and the greenhouse.

The popular name is descriptive of the seed, which is almost spherical, black, and so hard that it has been used in the West Indies instead of shot. Hence it will occasion no surprise that the germs burst through the strong covering with difficulty, and that sometimes weeks elapse before the seedlings appear, one or two at a time. To facilitate germination some growers file the seed, others soak it until the skin becomes sufficiently soft to permit of the paring away of a small portion with a sharp knife. In either case caution must be exercised to avoid injuring the germ. A safer mode of attaining the object is to soak the seeds in water, placed in a greenhouse or stove, for about twenty-four hours before sowing. After soaking the seeds it is necessary to keep the soil constantly moist, or the germs will certainly suffer injury. The number of seeds sown should be recorded, so that it may be known when all are up. The first sowing should be made in January, in a temperature of about 75, and as fast as the seedlings become ready transfer singly to small pots. As Cannas are gross feeders they must have a rich, porous compost, and an occasional dose of liquid manure will prove beneficial, especially when the pots are full of roots. If the seedlings from the January sowing are regularly potted on and properly managed they will begin to flower in June or July. Either the plants may be turned out into a rich soil, or the pots can be plunged, and after flowering in the open until late in autumn the plants can be lifted for another display of bloom in the greenhouse. In warm districts and in dry, sheltered situations, the roots may be left in the open ground all the winter under a covering of ashes; but they must be lifted from a damp, cold soil, and stored in a frame during the winter months.

We have only mentioned January as the month for sowing, but seed may be put in up to midsummer, or even later, following the routine already indicated.

==CARNATION==

==Dianthus Caryophyllus fl. pl. Hardy perennial==

The Carnation belongs to the aristocracy of flowers and has attained the dignity of an exclusive exhibition. But in addition to their merits as show flowers, Carnations make conspicuous ornaments in the garden and the home, and it has been found that seed saved with skill from the finest varieties will produce plants yielding hundreds of flowers of which the grower need not feel ashamed. Since the introduction of the early-flowering cla.s.s, which can easily be had in bloom within six months from date of sowing, an immense impetus has been given to the culture of Carnations from seed, and with judicious management it is not a difficult matter to insure a succession of these delightful subjects almost the year through. For the decoration of greenhouses and for providing cut flowers, seedling Carnations have a special value, which has only to be known to be universally appreciated. No trouble should be experienced with high-cla.s.s seeds, which germinate freely and save much time and labour in comparison with the more tedious process of propagation; while an occasional new break may at times reward the raiser.

The proverb that what is worth doing is worth doing well is peculiarly exemplified in the cultivation of Carnations, the difference between the results of good and bad work being immense. We therefore advise the preparation of a compost consisting of about three parts of turfy loam, to one part each of cow-manure and sweet leaf-mould, with a small addition of fine grit. A compost that has been laid up for a year, according to the orthodox practice of florists, is very much to be desired; but it may be prepared off-hand if care be taken to have all the materials in a sweet, friable state, free from pastiness, and as far as possible free from vermin. By laying it in a heap, and turning two or three times, the vermin will be pretty well got rid of. Sow from April until August in 4-1/2 inch pots, which must be thoroughly drained. The seed must be very thinly covered, and sheets of gla.s.s should be laid over to check evaporation. Place the pots in a closed frame, or if the season be genial a sheltered border will suffice. Immediately the plants are large enough to handle, p.r.i.c.k them off into seed-pans, or round the edge of 48-size pots. Place these in a cold pit or in the greenhouse.

Give shade and water until the plants have formed six or eight leaves, and then choose a moist day for planting out.

To insure flowering plants in the following summer it is necessary to have them strong and robust before the winter sets in. As the blooming stems rise they must be carefully tied to tall sticks, stout enough to carry a cover for the bloom, if the plants are not flowered under gla.s.s.

When the buds show they should be thinned, leaving as a rule the top, third, and fourth buds. The second is often too near the first, and some will not carry the fourth with vigour. When the petals nearly fill the calyx, each one must be carefully tied with a thin strip of material a little more than halfway down, to prevent the calyx from bursting, which disqualifies the flower for exhibition.

==The early-flowering cla.s.s== is extremely valuable for the ease with which it can be grown. The seedlings offer the advantage of being far more floriferous than plants that have been propagated by the orthodox method, and they are quite immune from the disease which often decimates stocks raised from layers and cuttings. Two strains--Vanguard and Improved Marguerite--possess these characteristics in a very high degree. All the usual colours are included, and they not only make a very imposing display in the borders but are of great value for table decoration. Within about six months from the time seed is sown an admirable form of delightfully scented Carnation is at the command of every gardener, and a succession of these popular flowers is available long after the perennial varieties have ceased to bloom. Plants from seed sown in gentle heat in January or February will flower freely in the autumn of the same year, and if lifted and potted they will continue in bloom during the winter as ornaments of the greenhouse or conservatory. From another sowing in autumn there will be a display in the following spring.

==CELOSIA PLUMOSA==

==Plumed c.o.c.ks...o...b.. Greenhouse annual==

The conditions which suit a liberally grown c.o.c.ks...o...b..will produce long graceful plumes of =Celosia plumosa=, but the starving system will not answer with this plant. Sow in February or March, and by means of a steady heat, regular attention with water, and a rather moist atmosphere, the specimens should be grown without a check from beginning to end. When they reach the final pots an occasional dose of weak manure water will help them, both in size and colour, but it must be discontinued when the flowers begin to show their beauty. As a rule it will be found more easy to manage this plant on a moderate-sized hot-bed than in a greenhouse. Repotting should always be done in time to prevent the roots from growing through the bottom of the pots.

==CELOSIA CRISTATA--see c.o.c.ks...o...b.. =page= 254==

==CHRYSANTHEMUM==

==Hardy perennial and hardy annual==

The tedious method of propagating Begonias, Gloxinias, and Primulas by cuttings or layers has been replaced by the simpler and more satisfactory procedure of sowing seeds, which insures all the finest flowers in far greater variety than were obtained under the obsolete treatment. A similar revolution is now proceeding in the culture of Chrysanthemums. Many growers are relying entirely on seedlings raised from sowings early in the year for their autumn display. The culture of =C. indic.u.m= from seed is as simple as that of Primulas or Stocks, and the variety and delicate charm of the seedlings far surpa.s.s the formal plants of years ago. Gardeners who require large numbers for decorative purposes may use seedling Chrysanthemums with excellent effect.

Seed should be sown in January or February, using a compost consisting of two parts leaf-soil to one part of loam. Place the pots or pans in a temperature of 65 to 70. As soon as the seedlings appear they should be moved to a somewhat lower temperature--about 55 to 60. When the young plants are large enough to handle, p.r.i.c.k off into trays at about three inches apart, using a little more loam in the soil. The most convenient size for the purpose is fifteen inches long by nine inches wide and three inches deep. These trays produce a quicker root action than pots. After growth has started, place them in cold frames.