CHE REFERENCE LIBRARY - Pole Shift Survival Information

232 THE .hTIJR,SERY-~‘11,4,~‘UA L
raised from seeds sown directly in the open ground, but. if earlier
hlootn anal a longer season are desired the seeds may be started in
the dwc4ling hottst~, window-garden, hotbed or gl:ctenliouse, and the
stiiall scccllings t IYillSpl~IlttXl to the garden. Whether the seeds
shoulrl be started imloors depentls on the region, t,he hardiness of
the species, the season in which bloom is desired. Small and delicate
sretls slioultl ht* started under cover for protection from beating
ruins ancl witttls, whatever the region, north or south. The
young plattts (II’ some species are so clf~liC%te ant1 tender as to
(1c’tl1iLt1~1 protect ion from wind, hot sun and dryness. All tl1ese
tlcbtililS tlitl gardent~r 1tYLrIlS l)y experience. Hints on then1 are
lilic4~~ to 1x1 found in see(l catalogues.
,Sotttcbt itttes atltl ttais are class~~d as harcly, half-harclj: and tender,
h:i\7itig rc4c~rt~ncc to frost, itIlt in pracfic~ applied to tirne of sowing.
So wick ;irc tlict li1titU(lW in North Atllel’ic’i1, however, within the
litttits Of a single coutttry, that these distinctions are largely given up
ItcW. 11 ltard~’ itttntta! may be sown even before “ settled weather ”
iLIlt When frosts are still esprctctl, as sweet pea, abronia, sweet,
:t!)~:isititt; ilir5t.~ IliillliS arc’ usually sown directlqv in the open ground,
sottictittkc~s 1J\‘t’tl in il.UtUi~ltl. The half-hardy MHIL&, i/s phlox,
illOnSOa, pCtlltlii1, witlrst,ancl c~otisiderable hardship and may bc
started incloors or sown in alie open l)efore the weather becomes
very hot. Tthntler annuals are sown late and are impatient of cold,
and are sonietittk3 protectecl tinder glass or elsewhere all summer ;
~Xilttl~lt’S arc tltiltl)~ i~OttltYitS iLtl(1 cucurbits, tnaurandia, torenia.
Vet=>* ftw iI~tlU~llS I~looni ~~ontit~ttor~sl~~ frottt earl)’ to late. Whet1
seeds begin to forttt, the l~looming usuully halts. The best result3
are obtttined 1)~. rt~peated sowings at intervals, one crop being rettio\7t4
from tltth MS wlten it he#ins to fail and a fresh crop of the
same or anotltrhr sp~Ges put in its place. Thu seedlings should be
transplanttvl before they crowd in the pots or boxes, and care
should be taken t,hat they do not, become ” drawn.” Annuals are
adaptalAr-, ;t nd t hq gi\re niuc~l~ satisfaction when one is willing tb
take suficicant pains in ptV~piqpt,tiotl.
It, is sotnetitttes tlesirul)le to propagate :~n~iuals\,y other means
than seecls itt otxkr to pcrpetuatc* particular strains or forms.
For this purpose cuttings of vigorous young shoots may be taken
late in the sc’asot-I and the new plants carried o\xJr winter in the
window-garden or under glass. Probably not all the annuals can
bi; handkd sati5fai*torily by this ttic~thocl. The pfxennials that are
commonly treated as annuals, as verbena, are readily propagated