298 FLORA HISTORICA. 



be sown at the end of I\Iay or beginning of June 

 upon a shady border of fresh earth ; for he observes, 

 that if they are too much exposed to the sun, and 

 the season should prove dry, few of them will 

 grow. And if they are sown early in the spring 

 they will flower in the autumn, and the winter com- 

 ing on will prevent the seeds from ripening, besides 

 which the flowers will be few and weak ; w hereas, 

 if they are left to form a strong root and leaves in 

 the autumn, they wdll send up their flower-stems 

 early in the next summer, branching out on every 

 {side, producing a great number of flowers, continu- 

 ing in succession from June to September, and 

 yielding good seeds in plenty. 



<' When the plants sown in May come up, trans- 

 plant them into a bed or border of fresh earth, 

 watering and shading them till they have taken 

 root; and, having kept them clean from weeds, 

 transplant them at Michaelmas into the middle of 

 the borders in the pleasure-garden.'' These plants 

 are seldom injured by cold, unless they send up 

 flower-stems before winter. 



The French florists recommend the seeds to be 

 sown in the autumn, to prevent the plants from an 

 inclination to flower the year they are sown. 



Mr. Alton notices thirty-three species of Sca- 

 bious that have been cultivated in the royal gardens 

 at Kew, and Marty n enumerates no less than forty. 



