THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 69 



Candytufts of three colours are available as described above. 

 Diantlius chinensis in several varieties. The best, perhaps, is 

 the diva rf striped ; this makes a rich bed, and blooms earlier and 

 better if the seed is sown eaj'ly in a frame. 



Esclioltzia crocea makes a pleasing, but not splendid, bed of yellow 

 flowers on a groundwork of glaucous leafage. 



Mixed Heartsease makes an interesting bed for a moist shady 

 position, where plants that love sunshine would not thrive. Sow 

 the seed thinly in March, and when the plants have made some 

 progress, thin them to a foot apart. A better bed may, however, be 

 made by sowing in pans or boxes in a frame, and planting out in 

 moist weather, when the plants have three or four leaves each. 



Scarlet Flax^ or Linum grandiflorum rubrura, is a splendid 

 annual for the "rough and ready" gardener. Let the bed be well 

 prepared and liberally manured, and in March sow the seed in lines, 

 putting the seeds about four inches apart every way as nearly as 

 possible. Cover them with a quarter of an inch of fine mould, and 

 they will soon come up and make a finer bed than if more care were 

 bestowed upon them. Whenever this plant fails it is through doing 

 too much for it. 



(Enothera taraxaclfolia alba, a lovely white-flowering, dwarf- 

 habited evening primrose ; makes a fine bed if sown early, and 

 thinned to a foot apart. 



Pceony-floicered Foppy makes a gorgeous bed for a short space of 

 time, and may do for a centre of a group, as the plants rise three 

 feet high. They are generally past their best in time to be succeeded 

 by some autumn-flowering plants, and in case of a bed thus furnished, 

 it would be a good plan to plant out the succession plants araougst 

 the poppies. Very much may be done in this way where annuals 

 are grown, so as to have successions without blanks. The French 

 Dwarf Poppy grows only a foot high, and makes a fine display. 



Sweet peas, planted two feet apart all over a raised bed, without 

 sticks to support them, have a very fine appearance ; and as seeds 

 can be obtained in distinct colours, here is a fine subject for limited 

 purses and grand notions. The beds should be large to look well. 



Portulaccas are gorgeous bedding plants, if rightly managed. 

 The bed should be raised, and con.sist in great part of broken bricks, 

 old plaster, and sandy loam, and the position should be dry, shel- 

 tered, and in the full sun. To do them well the seeds should be 

 sown in pans of sandy loam, and assisted with a little heat in 

 March, but they may be got up in a cold frame, and if sown on the 

 bed itself, six inches apart (a difficult task with seeds as fine as dust), 

 they will all grow and flower, but later than those started under 

 glass. If grown with the help of a frame or greenhouse, they 

 should not be pricked out, but kept in the seed-pans until May, 

 and then planted out into the bed. From first to last give them as 

 little water and as much light as possible. A shilling packet of 

 seed of any of the varieties will furnish plants enough to cover a 

 space twelve feet square, or perhaps thrice as much, if well managed. 

 If only one sort is required, perhaps Thellusoni is the best. 



Sanvital'ia procumbens Jlore pleno may be treated as a hardy 



