106 STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. 



Grant for a center or the main part of the bed, with a border of Senecio kuiata 

 ( GnapluiJum lanatnni). Tlio border needs a little clipping occasionally. A nice 

 bed can be made with dark verbenas (sambo) bordered, with golden feverfew. 

 Remember to keep the center buds of the feverfew picked off to prevent it run- 

 ning to flower. 



Another bed had a coral tree for a center (any small dense shrub would an- 

 swer us Avell), then a ring of centaurea gymnocarpa, then a ring of achyranthes 

 Linderii. The latter is of a beautiful red color, but is inclined to grow too tall. 

 It needs frenneut pinching. Outride of the latter is a row of variegated sago 

 {salvia officinalis, var.), then a row of alternuuthcra inagnifica. The above bed 

 was too small, being only about eight feet in diameter, yet it was much admired. 



Another small bed had a tree for a center, then artemisia acanthifolia. This 

 is too ragged. Then came a ring of centaurea candidissima. 



Another circular bed, fourteen feet across, had a center of twenty small plants, 

 of Colocasia csculenta (caladium). This burned in hot Aveather and did not do 

 very well. Next came a ring of colons called sambo or rubra. It is a good sort, 

 and did Avell. Then came a ring of cineraria acanthifolia. This was rather 

 too small to match Avith the rest. Xext came achyranthes verschaffeltii, and 

 the next was variegated sAveet alyssum ; then golden feA'erfcAV ; next al tern an- 

 thera versicolor. In the center, instead of colocasia, place coleus verschaffeltii, 

 and the bed Avould bo made up of a good selection. 



Our flat beds did better than those much elevated. The soil is rather light 

 and some days of our summer very hot. 



Wc find it a great advantage to mulch Avith old manure about two inches 

 thick. The ])lant-i do much bettor than Avith frequent hoeing Avithout mulch. 



I'XOWERINO ANNUALS. 



For flowering annuah, nothing giA"es us greater satisfaction than good strains 

 of petunia. The best way is to save seeds, and keep saving every year after get- 

 ting started Avitli good colors. They thrive in our hot Aveather, and give plenty 

 of flo\A'ers constantly after they begin until frost comes. Of great value also are 

 the several sorts of Phlox Drummondii. No garden can afford to be without 

 them. Tansies do Avell for fall and spring in cool Aveather. Do not alloAV them 

 to flower in hot Aveather, Avhcn the flowers Avill be small and Avorthless, but pinch 

 out the head and then the plants become strong for fall use. Pansies thrive in 

 cool, damp Aveather. In our short summers, zinneas are veiy satisfactory if 

 good sorts arc u^cd ; snap-dragon also, and larkspurs. Balsams do poorly on 

 light soil in our summers. Asters of many sorts do avcII, but are an uncertain 

 floAver on account of blister beetles, Avhicli sometimes appear very suddenly in 

 immense numbers, destroying a bed in a few hours, often before the insects are 

 noticed. Marigolds are shoAvy and easy to manage. Place them toAvards the 

 back of a garden. Mignonette is good for bouquets and easily raised. 



WALL rLOAA'ERS 



are not A'ery satisfactory Avith us. This season our stocks have done remarkably 

 well. Sow once for an early crop and then a later soAving for a succession. 



A FEAUD. 



By oversight avc received, in a lot of imported seed, some Leucanthemum vul- 

 gare. This is spoken of as rare and new, and excellent for cutting. It is noth- 

 ing but ox-eye daisy, a most pernicious and troublesome weed. It is a rare plant 



