THE CULTURE OF FLOWERS FROM SEEDS
Whether the modern demand for flowers has created the supply, or the
supply has found an appreciative public, we need not stay to discuss.
The fact remains that the last four or five decades have witnessed a
phenomenal extension in the use of
flowers by all classes of the
community, for the decoration of the house no less than for beautifying
the garden. Primarily, this advance of refinement in the popular taste
is traceable to the skill and enthusiastic devotion of the florists who
have supported in all their integrity the true canons of floral
perfection, and whose labours will continue to be imperative for
maintaining the standards of quality. By their severe rules of criticism
the florists further the ends of floriculture subjectively, and by the
actual results of their labours they render objective aid, their finest
flowers serving not only as types, but as the actual stud for
perpetuating each race. Hence the decline of floriculture would imply
the deterioration of flowers, and the prosperity of floriculture
involves progress not only in those subjects which lie within the
florists' domain, but of many others to which they have not devoted
special attention. Yet the acknowledgment must be made that, brilliant
as their triumphs have been, the methods they practised have in some
instances entailed very severe penalties. Continuous propagation for
many generations, under artificial conditions, so debilitated the
constitution of Hollyhocks, Verbenas, and some other subjects, that the
plants became victims of diseases which at one time threatened their
existence. To save them from annihilation it was necessary to desert the
worn path of propagation, and raise plants possessing the initial vigour
of seedlings. In stamina these seedlings proved eminently satisfactory,
although in other respects they were at first sadly disappointing. It
then became clear that before show flowers could be obtained from
seedlings judgment and skill must be devoted to the art of saving seed.
This was necessarily a work of time, demanding great patience and rare
scientific knowledge. The task was undertaken with enthusiasm in many
directions, and the results have more than justified this labour of
love. Formerly, the universal mode of perpetuating named Hollyhocks was
by the troublesome process of cuttings, or by grafting buds on roots of
seedlings in houses heated to tropical temperature. In many places it
was the custom to lift the old plants, pot them, and keep them through
the winter in pits. All this was found requisite to insure fine flowers.
While the burden of the work was thus rendered heavy, the constitution
of the plant became enfeebled, and at one time the fear was entertained
that its extinction was at hand. But the new system has preserved the
Hollyhock, and at the same time afforded a striking example of the
principle that seed saved scientifically is found to reproduce the
varieties it was taken from. Seedling Hollyhocks now give double flowers
of the finest quality; and the seedling plants are less liable to
disease. So with the Verbena. From suitable seed plants can be raised
that will produce the most resplendent flowers, and instead of
propagating a stock to keep over winter, to be stricken with mildew and
cost no end of care, only to become diseased at last, a pinch of seed is
sown in January or February, and soon there is a stock of healthy plants
possessing the vigour peculiar to seedlings. These, being bedded out at
a proper time, flower far more freely than plants from cuttings, and
produce trusses twice the size.
To illustrate the change of method still further we may instance the
Cineraria. Formerly this was a troublesome plant to grow, because it was
considered necessary to propagate named varieties by divisions and
suckers. The restricted system was reflected in limited cultivation. Few
were willing to venture on a task known to be hedged about with
difficulties. By degrees it was discovered that the finest Cinerarias
might be secured by simply sowing seed, and giving the plants the usual
cultivation of tender annuals. This has brought the Cineraria within the
reach of thousands who would not attempt to grow it under the old
system, and the consequent gain to society is immense.
What has been done with the Cineraria has its parallel in quite a number
of the most elegant decorative flowers. Brilliant results have been
achieved with Begonias, Calceolarias, Cyclamens, Gloxinias, Primulas,
and Schizanthus. It has also ceased to be needful to keep such large
stocks of bedding and other plants through the winter, for Ageratums,
Lobelias, and Pansies have proved amenable to the new treatment, and
very much of the accustomed labour in striking and potting cuttings, as
well as the expense of glass, fuel, and the frequent purchase of
high-priced plants, have been rendered unnecessary. Even among the
flowers which are properly designated annuals, new and delightful
variations have been obtained from original types. Of these we have
examples in Aster, Godetia, Larkspur, Mignonette, Phlox Drummondii,
Poppy, Stock, Sweet Pea, and many others. In some instances the increase
in the size of the flowers is remarkable, and in others the development
of new tints will surprise those who are not familiar with the labours
of modern hybridisers.
Thus a revolution has been accomplished in the economy and complexion of
the English Flower Garden, a revolution which has reduced and simplified
the gardener's labours, augmented the number and enhanced the beauty of
many flowers, effected a marked saving in the cost of garden pleasures,
and brought the culture of a large number of the most attractive
subjects within the means of those who had neither the facilities nor
the knowledge requisite for pursuing the florist's methods. There appear
to be no limits to further progress. All that we can do is to experiment
and gather knowledge, and those who love gardening may assist in
extending the area of this new and cheap system of producing some of the
most elegant garden flowers in one season from seed alone.
The time and the method of sowing flower seeds must in each case be
regulated by considerations as to their nature. Seeds of tender plants
are usually sown in pots or pans and placed on a moderate hot-bed or in
a propagating house early in spring, and in this case the plants have
greenhouse cultivation until the time arrives for hardening them off
preparatory to final planting. But seeds of many hardy flowers may be
treated in the same way, when a long season of growth is necessary for
their development. Thus Phloxes, Verbenas, and Hollyhocks, plants that
differ immensely in habit and constitution, may all be sown in February,
and put side by side in the same warm pit or vinery, or even in the
warmest corner of any greenhouse, and the very same treatment will suit
them equally well. The soil should be principally loam and sand, with a
little old thoroughly well-rotted manure from a hot-bed or compost heap;
and light, air, and moisture must be regulated with a view to insure a
free and vigorous growth from the first, with the least possible amount
of artificial heat. In some cases, however, the sowing should be
deferred to March or April, and the result will be far more satisfactory
than the growth made under the stimulus of artificial heat earlier in
the season. But in every case the plants must have sufficient time; for
although the rapid system has been developed, the constitution of the
plants remains unchanged, and those which have heretofore been classed
as biennials and perennials need a long season when treated as annuals.
A considerable proportion of the finest flowers may be raised from seed
by the aid of a frame and a little careful management. We will take as
an example a very restricted garden. Here is a small frame and some
packets of seed, and the month of February or March has arrived. The
pans and pots are made ready with sweet sandy compost, and the seeds are
sown and labelled, and the pans and pots are packed together in the
frame on a bed of clean coal ashes, or some slates, or tiles, or bricks
laid on the soil, to promote warmth and cleanliness and to prevent the
intrusion of worms among the seeds. By simple management almost as quick
a growth of seeds can be insured in this frame as with the aid of a
hot-bed, and the secret consists in careful storage of the heat of the
sun. Lay over the seed-pans sheets of glass to prevent evaporation, and
let the sun shine full upon them. Be careful as to moisture: they must
never be wet, never dry, and the water must not be slopped about
carelessly. It is a good rule to immerse the pots or pans in a vessel
containing soft water, slightly tepid. When the seedlings begin to
appear, give a little air and lay sheets of paper tenderly over them
during the hour or two at midday when the sun may be shining brightly.
But keep them from the first as 'hard' as possible with plenty of light
and air, always taking care that they are neither roasted, nor blown
away by the cruel east wind, nor nipped at night by a killing frost. A
few old mats or light loppings of trees laid over the frame from sundown
to sunrise will be sufficient protection at those trying times; and when
spring frosts are making havoc with the tender sprouting leaf and bloom
in every part of the garden those little things will be safe under their
glass cover, and slight experience will show that a common frame may
become a miniature hot-house in the hands of one who has learned to make
failure the stepping-stone to success. We must not omit to mention that
the owner of such a garden, or, indeed, of any garden, will be prudent
to take advantage of the first fine weather to sow in the open ground
whatever flower or vegetable seeds should be sown at that season. The
frame garden can be reserved, if needful, for wet weather, because it is
of the utmost importance to sow a good breadth of seeds in the open
ground as early as possible in the month of March.
Turning from this small example to the great garden, it will be obvious
that to those who always have heavy work on hand the advantages of this
transference, of labour from the old system to the new are immense. Both
to employers and gardeners the advantages are of importance; the
propagation of bedders by cuttings, and of florists' flowers by suckers
and divisions and layers and pipings, will not, of course, be completely
abolished; but for all ordinary purposes the ends in view may be
accomplished more simply, more expeditiously, and more cheaply than
heretofore. The pits hitherto appropriated to bedders, and the like, may
to a great extent be liberated, and there will be no difficulty in
finding for them more profitable occupants. While Mushrooms and early
Potatoes and winter salads are in request, it will be a gain to many a
garden to have reduced the summer display of flowers to a simple system
of seed-sowing, at an expense that may be described as merely nominal.
Before dealing specifically with certain flowers, it may be advisable to
say a few words generally concerning the culture of Annuals--Hardy,
Half-hardy, and Tender--and also on hardy Biennials and Perennials.
Annuals.--Although the most popular kinds of annuals are largely
employed in the embellishment of flower gardens, they are adapted for
many uses to which they may with advantage be more frequently applied. A
few misconceptions prevail as to the relative merits of this class of
plants. By some they are regarded as 'weedy' and 'short-lived.' Their
very cheapness, and the relatively small amount of skill required in
their cultivation, tend in some degree to detract from their value in
public estimation. We will not be so rash as to say that a more extended
use of annuals would render unnecessary the cultivation of what are
especially known as 'bedding plants'; but there is something to be said
on behalf of annuals that may be worth the consideration of all who are
interested in the development of freshness, variety, and richness of
colour in the flower garden. In the first place, these plants come into
flower within a comparatively short period of time from the sowing of
the seed, and it is a matter of considerable importance that a large
proportion of the best continue beautiful until the very close of the
season. Sometimes in the autumn Geraniums become literally washed out,
while Tom Thumb Nasturtiums may be ablaze with colour, and continue so
when the Geraniums are housed for the winter. A large number of showy
and long-lasting annuals are adapted for employment in bedding, and by a
little management those that do not last the season out may be replaced
by others for succession; thus affording the advantage of increased
variety, and making no demand for glass and fuel to keep them through
the winter as do the ordinary bedders. We have had great and glorious
sheets of Candytufts, snow-white, rich crimson, and bright carmine; and
when they began to wane they were removed, and the ground planted with
Asters, and very soon there was another display, so fresh and bright and
various that no greenhouse bedders could surpass them. Great hungry
banks, that would have swallowed many pounds' worth of greenhouse plants
to cover them, have been made delightfully gay at a very trifling cost
by sowing upon them Tropaeolums, Tom Thumb Nasturtiums, Bartonia aurea,
the dwarf varieties of Lupinus, Virginian Stock, Collinsia bicolor,
Convolvuluses, Candytufts, Eschscholtzias, Poppies, and Clarkias; and
damp, half-shady borders have been delicately tessellated by means of
Forget-me-nots, Venus' Looking-glass, Pansies, the Rosy Oxalis,
Nemophilas, Godetias, Silenes, Coreopsis, and Scabious.
For the more important positions in the flower garden we have choice of
many really sumptuous subjects, such as Stocks, Asters, Balsams,
Drummond's Phlox, Lobelias, the lovely new varieties of Antirrhinums,
Dianthus, Portulacas, Zinnias, tall Stock-flowered Larkspurs, Nemesias,
and many other flowers equally beautiful and lasting. We do not hope by
these brief remarks to change the prevailing fashion--indeed, we have no
particular wish that way--but we feel bound to observe that it is
sufficient for the beauty of the garden that the greenhouse bedders
should be confined to the parterre proper. It is waste of space and
opportunity to place them in the borders everywhere, as is too commonly
done. In sunny borders, annual and perennial herbaceous plants are far
more appropriate.
Some time since, while walking over a large garden, we left the rich
colouring of the geometric beds to discover what should make the
wondrous glow of crimson on a border far away; and to our surprise it
proved to be a clump of the Indian Pink, which had been sown as an
annual with other annuals, and was there shining in the midst of a
constellation of the loveliest flowers of all forms and hues, the
result simply of sowing a few packets of seed. No one can despise the
Wallflower in the spring, and the heavenly-blue flowers of Nemophila
insignis in early summer will tempt many a one to walk in the garden
who would care little for sheets of scarlet and yellow that in full
sunshine make the eyes ache to look upon them. It must be remembered,
too, that among annuals are found many most richly-scented flowers;
others, like the everlastings and the grasses, are valuable to dry for
winter use for employment in bouquets, and garlands in Christmas
decorations; and the Sweet Peas, and Tropaeolum canariense, and
climbing Convolvulus may be employed to cover arbours and trellises with
the best effect possible, and may even be allowed to hang in festoons
about the sunny parts of rockeries, or trail over the ground to make
genuine bedding effects. Another important matter must have mention
here, and we commend it to the consideration of gardeners who are
severely taxed to secure extensive displays of flowers during the summer
season. It is that a number of plants of highly ornamental character,
usually treated as perennials, are really more effective, besides
occasioning less labour to produce them, when cultivated as annuals. The
Dianthus and its several splendid varieties do better as annuals than
biennials. For all the ordinary purposes of display, Lobelias may be as
well grown from seed as from cuttings, and in every garden will be found
proof of the small amount of care they require; for we find stray,
self-sown plants in pots of Geraniums and other places, and these, if
left alone, become perfect bushes, and are a mass of flowers all the
summer. Many annuals commonly reputed to be tender and usually raised in
heat do very well indeed on a more rough and ready method. In proof of
this, sow Perilla nankinensis in the first week of May where it is
required, and in the month of July you will probably be convinced that
Perilla does not always need careful nursing in heated houses through
the spring. Even the really tender Castor-oil Plant will thrive if sown
in the open ground the first week in May. Having no check, as plants put
out from pots must have, the growth will be regular and sturdy, and
attain magnificent dimensions.
Perhaps the most effective way of growing annuals is to arrange them in
harmonious blendings or contrasts of colour. The wide choice of
varieties available admits of an almost endless number of combinations,
and the following tables, classified according to colour, will no doubt
afford some serviceable suggestions, although these by no means exhaust
the list. The height is indicated in feet and Climbers as 'Cl.'
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