CINERARIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 28, 3 February 1899, Page 8

CINERARIA.

The cineraria is one of the most popular border flowering plants which we possess for early spring flowering. It is also one which is so easy to raise from seed every year that here in our climate it is not necessary to raise cuttings from the old stocks every season. The seedlings also give a greater diversity of colour than could be obtained from stocks unless an enormous number of them were kept. To obtain first plants for planting out in the early autumn a little seed should be sown about the second week in February, and where occasional plantings are required a little seed should be sown fortnightly afterwards. To be successful, get good light, rich soil in which a little sand has been' mixed. Place this in either seed pans or boxes, leaving the surface very fine. Next sow. the seed carefully and evenly cover the surface; cover lightly with fine sifted soil, and water so that the whole of the soil in the pans or boxes is saturated. Place if possible under glass which has been whitewashed so as to shade from the fierce rays of the sun through the glass.. AVhere there is no glass house, place the pans or boxes in a position where the sun's rays can reacti them the greater part of the day. Place a pane of glass over them which has been whitewashed. During the day this glass should be slightly tilted up so that the air may get freely to the surface of the foil. The soil must from the start be kept moist—that is, neither too wet nor too dry. The seed will soon germinate and grow quicftly. Whenever the little plants are fit to handle they should be pricked out into boxes. To do this get good rich soil, mix a little sand into it, and then prepare the boxes. First get some halffermented stable manure, place a thin layer of this in the bottom of the boxes, then fill in the good sjpil and prick out the little plants. The stable manure in

the bottom of the box will not only assist the drainage, but the little roots as they grow will penetrate into it and when they plants are ready for transplanting they will more readily lift with a good ball of earth ( attached to their roots. This will greatly assist them to get established when they are planted out permanently. After pricking out into the boxes the plants should be watered and kept shaded till they start into growth. When they have started to grow strongly the box.es should be taken out into the open where the plants will be fully exposed to the sun. Keep them watered so that the soil is always moist till they are planted

out. During this period the plants are liable to the attacks of caterpillars,which eat the leaves. The best remedy for this is frequent hand picking of them off. The first lot of plants should be ready for planting out about the first week in April.