The Florida agriculturist., 1907-08-28


nuals except in the case of specially
from seed annually and when thei1
blooming season is over are thrown
away and a new stock raised from
seed for the ensuing season. Most
of the double kinds are prOpagateC
from cuttings, though there are
strains of seed that will produce
about IS per cent Of double varieties
The seeds may be sown in autumn OF
spring. Autumn sowing is prefer
able, except where severe frosts oc
cur in spring. The plants are strong
and will bloom early and continuous
| ly if we'll cultivated. The seed is very
small and should be sown in ligh
soil in we'll drained pots or boxes
The soil should be rather moist ane
the surface firmly pressed and ever
before sowing the seeds. A very ligh
covering of soil should be applied ane
the whole watered very gently an(
lightly to prevent the seed being
washed together in heaps, after which
| the pots or boxes should be trans
ferred to a close frame, or a shee
of glass should be placed closely over
them till the seeds germinate. Thi:
covering should be removed grad
ually as the plants grow, being finally
removed when they are IA inch il
height. The plants should then b.
potted into single pots, or transplant
ed into other boxes of light soil ane
grown on till spring, when they should
be planted out. When the seeds are
raised in spring they may be allowed
to remain in the seed box until ready
to plant out where it is intended they
should bloom.
Cuttings of the young shoots thai
develop latera11y along the stems, OF
at the base of the plants, root readily
in cold frame, or under a be11-g1ass
or a closely covered box, if inserted
in sandy soil during April. The cut.
tings should be about three inche:
in length, the leaves trimmed from
the lower half Of the cutting and the
cuttings inserted around the edge O
the pots of sand. The pots should be
we'll drained and the sand washed, tc
remove any fermenting medium. A
| box Qike a butter box) should be
filled to within six inches Of the tor
with light soil, sand or ashes Hole:
should be bored in the bottom to per.
NIT of drainage The cuttings may
| be inserted, say, six in a 5-inch pot
always inserting cuttings around the
edge, in preference to the center O.
the pots. Four such pots will be &C
commodated in a butter box, an(
after the cuttings are inserted shou1e
be plunged to the rims in the ma
teria1 in the box, lightly watered ane
covered closely with nicely fitting
sheet Of glass. In such a frame ;
number of cuttings may be rooted
during the season. After the cuttings
are rooted they should be pOtted into
when they may be either planted ou
in the border or re-potted and grown
on in larger pots. Petunias succeed
we'll in pots and nice bushy plant!
may be developed by occasionally
pinching the leading shoots The sol
for pot culture should be light ane
| porous and the pots should be thor
Ough1y drained
The most suitable soil for growing
petunias in the open border is {
moderately rich light loan, but the
plants will thrive fairly in any fail
garden soil. Excessive manuring viii
produce large plants without a cor
responding increase in the number OF
quality of the flowers. A fairly oper
position should be allotted them, anC
ordinary border cultivation, including
watering during dry, hot weather, viii
suffice to bring the plants into con
ditiOn that will enable them tO.. Dro