(30 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



will be the result. I prefer large clumps to small ones, and few 

 colours and sorts to man3\ A perr^on who desires to make acquaint- 

 ance with species and orders of ])lants, may find in a selection of 

 annuals a great help in botanical study. But if the embellishment 

 of the garden is the principal object in view, repetitions are 

 desirable, and I should advise the sowing of large clumps of a i'ew 

 sorts of annuals in regular order as to their heights and colours. Let 

 us now select a little batch for these clumps, and such as in every 

 case may be sown out of doors in March. 



An>uals with Red ELOWEr.s roE Clumping. — The pretly 

 " Eose of Heaven" {Agrostemma cwli-rosa) makes a fine clump, sown 

 rather thick ; the plant grows a foot high, and there are several 

 varieties entered in seed catalogues, the best being liyhrida jlore 

 plcnn, which has double llowejs. Crimson Candytuft, or Iberis 

 mnhellata, is a fine annual, which lasts loug in bloom if sown in 

 autumn, but will make a good display if sown in March. Silene 

 armeria, or LoheVs Catchfiy, produces abundance of pretty corymbs 

 of rose-coloured flowers. Clarkia elegans is well known ; it thrives 

 best in poor soil, and lasts longer in bloera if sown in autumn : 

 but it may be sown dow iu any kiud of soil, and will in due time 

 make a "beautiful display. The double Clarkias are rubbish. 

 Dianthus cJtinensis, the Indian pin/c, must not be sown in the open 

 border until April, but blooms earlier and finer if sown on a hot- 

 bed in March. All the varieties named in catalogues are good, and 

 may be purchased with perfect safety. Saponaria calahrica is a 

 lovely little rosy-flowered plant, which flowers all the summer long ; 

 it is iiseful for any bed or border, or even for an edging to a bed, 

 but the flowers are so small that it produces no effect at a distance. 

 Silene pendula makes a charming clump of bright magenta, or pink. 

 Viscaria oculata is an elegant plant wdth rosy flowers ; all the 

 varieties of this are good. 



Annuals w^ith White Flowers eor Clumping. — One of the 

 very best is the w^hite variety of the Common Candytuft, or Iheris 

 umhellata ; while it lasts, there is no white flower in the garden to 

 equal it. The white Virginian Stock, or Malcomia maritima, may be 

 sown on any day throughout the year, except when the ground is 

 •frozen; therefore the ''rough and ready" gardener should have 

 always at hand a pincfi of seed to All up any gap that occurs when 

 nothing better can be found for it. The pure white variety is the 

 only one I shall recommend, but all the sorts are useful. The 

 white LoheVs Catclijlii is good. Clarlcia pulchella alba will do for 

 clumps, but it is rather weak and washy. Collinsia licolor is a 

 well-known annual, the white variety of it well deserves a place in 

 this selection. Silene pendvia alba is extremely neat and pretty, 

 growing only six inches high. Campanida speculum, or Genus's 

 Looking-glass ; the white variety of this is as pretty as the blue. 



Annuals with Yellow Flowers eor Clumping. — Atlianasia 

 annua was first brought into notice as a good thing by our corre- 

 spondent Mr. Howlett. It grows rather too tall for clumps, but 

 may have a plsce in the second or third row. Its height is one and 

 a half to two feet ; the flowers are like yellow buttons, plentiful and 



