The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-04-04

THE time for planting flower seed
ia here. We know Of no more
sfecsual way of adding to the beauty,
Effectiveness and value of farm hous-
q than by having a plentiful supply OF
divers about it. We give below lib
arsI extracts from a recent institute
paper read by Mlss Gertrude Austin,
Of Ehngham, Ill :
Il Is Co the ANIMALS that we must look
for the most gorgeous display OF col
ors. and they can be truly said to be
the A )we5s for the millions, as they
are all easily raised from seed 80 Wn IN
the open border in April, May or Juee,
according to the degree Of hardness.
But the NEST succ assful method with
the finest OF this class, is to SOW n
seed in february or March, In a hot
bed. in the before mentioned fats or
shallow boxes. This method Is b
best for several reasons, but the least
of which is that by this q the
plants are not only Of good size by the
time the soil outside is warm enough
Tor them, but also by reason OF having
them in the % beds, a much greater
percentage of them survive.
And now to be more definite, / will
mention some of the best for bedding
PURPOSES. Next to the paDsy 10 my
estimarion, 10 the petunia, in both It's
double aad single form. The summer
Y Ct s too hot nor too dry for them
to bloom The seed being very fine
they should be sown on the surface or
the soil and then have a little fine sell
soil suited on them through a sieve. IL
YOU have never tried them, buy q
package of the New California
Giants" and you will never regret 1t
Asters may be treated in the same
wav az the petunia, except the seed be
ing much larger, they should be GOV
cred deeper. The improved astors
have the nest delicate c0lors lmagln
able n 4 more dwarf varieties are
q bouquet by themselves
Coreopeis, and the new cosmos,
which while they do not seem to justify
the claim now made for early bloom
ing. vet when September and October
come in they make up for lost time II
a wealth OF beauty rarely seen In any
other flower.
Balsams are so much improved thai
thew are also very poular as po.
plants. Garden carnations IN the
hybrid varieties are so numerous tina
a whole garden might be be planted tt
them alone and certainly give salts
faction.
The dahlia, 1 have frequently
doomed the first season, for seed, ant
they will surprise you with their col
ors and rapid growth, and the res
can be sorted out and buried with Tn
Irish D ntatoes for the next year.
Who is there that does not admir-
the stately holIyhock9 Get the neV
Allegheny Double and, and your neigh
6ors will want seed Of them for tn
next year
And the bright merigolds, the sWee
mignonette, the magnificent musa, &c
delicate nasturtium, the doubtful nice
tiana, the wonderful phlox, the grace
tui poppy with its drowsy odor, the
minuIve portulacca, with irs carpet {
all colors, the grand tropical loCklp
rIcinus, the Incompatible sweet pee
the mammoth verbenes, end lastly tn
brilliant and SNOWY ziDnia, all OF while
20 to make up q variety fl TO grac
tne garden of a Goddess.
4 large bed Of the newer Canne
surrounded by a fringe of Gener'
Grant Gereniuns S. will nearly al#ay
stand u hot summer days with gu
cess. And in speaking OF geranlun
1 am reminded that there are re
h1werIng plants that succeed as we
as they through out droughty spell
and even if they lag a little IN Augu