The Garden Under Glass

CHAPTER XIII FORWARDING BEDDING PLANTS IN THE GREENHOUSE Those who possess a greenhouse and frames have a great advantage over otliers in beautifying their front beds and borders in the summer months. There are so many plants which can be most successfully raised under glass and be afterwards planted out that to deal separately with each would take up an unwarrantable amount of space. Happily they undergo very much the same treatment, and may thus be conveniently grouped together. Thus we have those which are raised from cuttings or from seeds in the autumn; those which are much. tenderer and are raised from cuttings in autumn and spring, and those which are raised from seeds sown under glass in the spring. Among the first section we might mention sweet-peas, pentstemons, antirrhinums, violas, calceolarias and marguerites. These may be grown entirely in a cold frame. Sweet-peas will be best sown in boxes or pots. I prefer boxes myself, but probably pots will be found most useful for small growers. The seeds are sown in these in the usual way and put into a cold frame. Except for a week or so after being put there they are kept uncovered as much as possible, the only time the lights are put on being when it is raining or when frosty; for although sweet-peas will withstand frost, yet it is not a good plan to allow them to be subjected to it. Scarcely any water will be needed during the winter months. The other plants men-146