142 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



plant out anything in a bard, battered bed or border, or where tbere 

 are hard dry lumps of earth, as large as a quart measure. Any time, 

 therefore, spent in bringing the ground into a kindly condition is 

 just so much in favour of the plants that are to occupy it. 



The first subjects to go out may include the Helichrysums. — ■ 

 I should strongly advise my readers to secure all the distinct colours 

 of these, and mix them in a rather large bed, and then peg them 

 down, as advised last month for the zinnias. I have never grown 

 them this way, but if the pegging down is begun as they advance in 

 growth, I have not a doubt but that they would make a telling and 

 lasting bed. The Saponaria calabrica may also go out ; it makes a 

 lovely round bed, but shows itself best when the bed is raised in the 

 centre. Coreopsis Drummondii, Convolvulus major, and the Schi- 

 zanihus, will bear planting out after the third week. What has been 

 already written will enable the reader to decide whether to plant out 

 the whole, or to leave the more tender subjects in the frame a week 

 longer. But, in connection with planting, I may remark, that it is 

 best done in dull or showery weather ; the young plants gently 

 watered, if they are put out, in bright clear weather. All the 

 planting should be done late in the afternoon or evening, as that 

 gives the plants a full twelve hours to recover themselves before the 

 sun is on them again. It will be necessary to shade the more tender 

 subjects during the heat of the day, when it is continually bright 

 and clear ; and if mats, or old calico, or thick muslin, is not to hand, 

 then a few evergreen branches, stuck into the ground amongst the 

 plants, will prove of some service in breaking the force of the sun's 

 fire, and in such weather a good sprinkle from the rose of a water- 

 pot will help them wonderfully. River or rain water should always 

 be used, if possible, but if well water only is to be had, expose it to 

 the sun and air, in an open tub, or some other vessel, for at least six 

 hours before using it. As to distances in planting, six inches from 

 plant to plant, all over the bed, will serve for all those subjects for 

 which distances are not specially stated. Stocks and asters will, of 

 course, go in singly, but helichrysums and zinnias, if used for beds, 

 and pegged down, will require to be nine inches apai't, unless the soil is 

 poor, then six inches will suffice. The others may be lifted from the 

 frame three or four plants in a bunch, and planted that way, for if the 

 more dwarf-growing subjects are disturbed too much at the roots, they 

 are some time before they recover. Take care that all the varieties of 

 marigold are carefully shaded after planting out. A bed of the double 

 Camellia-flowered Balsams is not to be despised when well grown. If 

 sown early this month in the open ground, where they are to flower, 

 and thinned out at the end of June to one foot apart, and constantly 

 supplied with a little manure-water, they make magnificent objects 

 from August until the beginning of October. People fail in growing 

 balsams as bedding plants (and, indeed, a good many of other 

 annuals) because they allow them to form pods of seed, and give in- 

 sufficient water. The balsam requires a rich soil, plenty of water, 

 and every seed-vessel to be picked off as soon as it is visible. "With 

 such treatment, it is as good, and cheap, and lasting a bedding plant 

 as we could wish to have. 



