68 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



"We will now suppose that some of our readers have geometric 

 gardens and groups of beds which have been originally designed for 

 the display of greenhouse bedders, and are now to be appropriated 

 for annual's. It is a fair case to suppose, and it enables us to gather 

 under one head a few annuals that we consider best of all adapted 

 for bold, rich, distinct bedding effects. 



ANNUALS ADAPTED FOR BEDS AND LAEGE MASSES. 



Tom TliumJj Tropceolums, or Dwarf Nasturtiums. — These are 

 cheap, and extravagantly gay, producing a better effect at a distance 

 than when viewed near at hand, as there is a certain coarseness 

 about them. There are many distinct varieties, and it is a matter of 

 frequent surprise to experienced cultivators that these varieties 

 retain their characters with admirable uniformity, so that if a packet 

 of seed of a scarlet-flowering kind (for example) be sown, there will 

 not occur amongst all the plants more than two or three that are not 

 scarlet, and strictly in accordance with the type. The simplest way 

 of dealing with these is the best ; sow them in March or April 

 where they are to remain, putting in the seeds singly, six to twelve 

 inches apart every way. As soon as they begin to show the slightest 

 colour at the points of the flower-buds, look over them carefully, 

 and remove any that are not true. The gap from which a plant has 

 been removed may be in great part hidden by drawing towards it the 

 next nearest plants, and fixing them with a few short sticks in that 

 direction. It is advisable, however, to sow a few seeds of each sort 

 in a mixed border, or in pots, expressly to have a few extra plants to 

 mend the gaps where " rogues" occur. We repeat that there is a 

 certain coarseness about these plants, but the poorer the soil, and 

 the drier and more sunny the position, the less coarse and the more 

 brilliant will they be; and all things considered, they are the 

 cheapest and the easiest to grow of all known bedding plants. The 

 following varieties are good : — CattelVs Scarlet, Tom Thumb Scarlet, 

 Tom Thumh Yelloiv, Tom Thumb Crimson, Tom Thumh Pearl, a rather 

 flimsy white, yet very suitable for a group of beds wholly occupied 

 with these plants ; and Tom Thumb Ease. Messrs. Carter have adver- 

 tised a new variety, with violet-coloured flowers, which we have not seen. 



Antirrhinum Tom Thumb. — This is a very dwarf variety of 

 snapdragon. It is quite new, and rather dear. The colours of the 

 flowers are various, the plant rising only nine inches high. To grow 

 a bed of this, the best way would be to sow the seed in pans or 

 boxes, as early as possible in March, and help them on in a frame or 

 greenhouse, giving them the usual treatment of bedding plants, such 

 as prickiug ofl" into other boxes, to aftord more room for growth, 

 etc., aiid linally planting them out early in May, in a raised bed of 

 sandy soil, in a sunny position. There may be a little difficulty in 

 obtaining the true seed of this fine variety ; we know that Messrs. 

 E. G-. Henderson, Wellington Eoad, St. John's Wood, and Mr. 

 Eraser, Lea Bridge Road, have it correct. 



Cawjjamda carpatica, ichite and blue, have been described above ; 

 they make lovely beds, and are really better treated as annuals than 

 as perennials. 



