RAISING TENDER ANNUALS IN THE DWELLING-HOUSE.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2040, 7 September 1880, Page 4

RAISING TENDER ANNUALS IN THE DWELLING-HOUSE.

Many persons are desirous of growing tender annuals in windows, boxes, or in small garden plots, bat are prevented from doing bo, either from the cost necessary to procure the plants being too groat for their limited means, or from the supposed difficulty of raising them from seed. Whore a greenhouse or glass structure of any kind is at hand there i» no trouble in raising these delicate dowers, and their treatment under those circumstances is greatly facilitated. It is, however, for amateurs, without greenhouse, frame, or propagating contrivances of any kind whatever, that these remarks are offered. The difficulty of raising some of the most popular annuals is more imaginary than real. Take, for instanc, lobelias, pyrethrums, balsams, zinnias, mimuluses, petonias, verbenas, violas, annual chrysanthemums, marigolds, stocks, asters, and phlox drummondi. These represent an almost unlimited range of colour and perfume. Yet all can be readily enough raised in an ordinary sunny window without any bottom heat at all, and when so grown will be much better than if forced in a greenhouse, provided that a place exists in which to put them after they are pricked out from the seed box. Let a rough box be made about 3 inches deep, 18 to 29 inches long, by 9 to 12 inches wide. This should be filled with a compost of loam and leaf mould, if the latter can be obtained, or decomposed manure if it cannot, with sand freely mixed. Some of this should be sifted, and the roughest of it put at the bottom of the box, then some of the unsifted compost, and lastly some of the finely-sifted soiL Make the surface perfectly smooth, and thoroughly water it with a fine rose water can, leaving the box until all the surplus water drains off and the soil is _in a condition move about without being sticky. In such a box sufficient seed can be sown to stock an ordinary town garden with a plentitude of flowers the whole summer through. Bow the seed in drills, which should be made by gently pressing a lath into the soil. Sow them tfainiy in the drills, and cover up to the level of the surfaoe with fine soil or silver sand. In a box 12 inches wide one or two rows of each variety will furnish sufficient plants for a small garden, and a box of 20 or 24 inches long will be sufficient to raise from eighteen to twenty varieties. A sheet of gloss should bo laid over the top of the box, and the hoi itself placed in the window. It should be lifted out each night and placed in a warm, but not hot, corner of the room, to guard against night frosts, and replaced the next morning. If a sheet of glass is placed over the box it will not need much watering until the seeds are up, as the moisture which rises from the damp soil will condense on the glass and fall back into the box, but if it is left uncovered watering will be necessary, and the best way to accomplish this is to take a hair brash, dip it in water and sprinkle it gently over the surface. By this means the seeds will not be disturbed, as they assuredly would bo if the box were flooded with water by a water can. When the plants are up and large enough to handle—when they have the second pair of loaves fully developed is about the proper time —they should be pricked off into pots or boxes, and kept in the best and most convenient place until they begin to crow freely, where they may be put out of doors in the middle of the day when the weather is fine, and be gradually inured to the exposure.