53 



A SELECTION OF ANNUALS. 



USY times are these for gardening folks, and the Sun's invasion of 

 Aries sets one's blood astir about all sorts of flowery things. An 

 old and valued friend, who never in his life had a spade in his hand, 

 or the name of a flower in his head, has just startled me by asking 

 for advice about annuals. He has given up his city residence, 

 taken a pretty country box, and set up his pony trap, and now he 

 means to do the rus in urbe, about which there is such a tremendous 

 talk now-a-days. I always thought it must come to that, for so 

 genial and warm-hearted a man could not go on starving his affec- 

 tions with parchments and precedents ; and when he used to spend 

 a few days with me among the gardens and coppices, I could see the 

 shame he suffered at a consciousness of his ignorance of all flowery 

 out-door subjects. Well, he's turned gardener at last ; has ceased 

 to take breakfast in bed, has taken to a velveteen morning coat, and 

 y&S-L thick-soled waterproof boots — things that would have made him 



shudder a year ago, when the height of his ambition was to be a 

 model of a gentleman lawyer, the first dandy of the Inn and the Court. 

 Knowing he had a very intelligent and industrious gardener, I, 

 of course, advised his leaving the matter to him. " But," says he, 

 " Harris is a capital fellow, but I want to know something for my- 

 self, for the pleasure attendant on what little knowledge I have 

 already picked up, and the desire to learn more gives a heartier zest 

 to my gardening exploits than any of the visible results do, however 

 successful they may be. Here I see hundreds of annuals and peren- 

 nials entered in the catalogues, and, though Harris has made me a 

 list, 1 should like to have a finger in the pie, and know beforehand 

 what to choose among new and old flowers, so just give me half-a- 

 dozen hints." 



I complied with my friend's request, and penned for him a few 

 hints ; and, it occurred to me, that, as there are always many in 

 the position of my friend, at this particular season of the year, hints 

 about annuals are acceptable to folks who have got out of the lead- 

 ing strings, I determined that the "Floral World " should be the 

 means of helping them. 

 It is quite true that the seedsman's lists are voluminous, but how can you blame them 

 for inserting all the species and varieties they have, even if they number thousands. 

 Any novice, who may be perplexed with such lists, should turn at once to the " selections " 

 that accompany them, where the most popular flowers will be found grouped together in 

 classes, and from these the most ignorant may select safely. Numbers of things entered 

 in bulky ca-talogiies are of interest only to the botanical gardener, and to him many prove 

 of inestimable value as furnishing keys to the classes and orders of plants, and, in mam 

 ways, contributing to his botanical knowledge. But for folks who simply want a gay 

 display of showy annuals, a very limited supply will suffice. Among the hardy annuals, 

 the following are absolutely essential, on account of their free blooming, and it is impossible 

 for any one of them to disappoint. Yellow and Orange — Eschscholtzia californica and cro- 

 cea, Cenia lurbinata, Leptosiphon luteum ; Limnanthes sulphur ea ; Lupinus luteus ; Calliopsis 

 tinctoria, and Burridgeanum ; golden annual Chrysanthemum ; Erysimum Peroffskianum ; 

 golden Hawkweeds, Helianthemum3. Scarlet and Red — Collomea coccinea ; Malope 

 trijidr grandiflora ; (Enotherce rubicunda ; Scarlet and Red Poppies ; Scarlet Sweet Pea ; 

 Prince's Feather. Rose and Pink. — Calandrina discolor; Adonis Flos; Calliopsis atro- 

 sanguinea, and Drummondii ; Centranthus macrosiphon ; Clarhia pulchella, and neriflora ; 

 ■ Collinsia Bartesiafolia ; Kaidfussia rosea; Limnanthes albus roseus ; Lupinus rosea ; Lychnis 

 .nanus ; (Enothera rosea alba; Papaver Marshallii ; Silene rubra, and Pseudo atocion ; 

 Virginian Stock; Viscaria oculata. Blue and Purple — Calandrina grandiflora ; Cam- 

 panula pentagonia, and Loreii ; Convolvulus minor ; Cyanus minor ; Eutoca viscida, and 

 Wrangeliana ; Gilia californica ; Iberis Violacea ; Kaidfussia amellioides ; Lathyrus azureus ; 

 Rocket Larkspurs; Lupinus nanus, and Monogynia ; Nolana atripicifolia ; Viscaria 

 oculata nana. Lilac — Collinsia bicolor ; Gilia tricolor ; Leptosiphon densifora, and 

 androsaceus. "White — Campanula pentagonia alba ; Cenia alba ; Centranthus albus ; 

 Clarkia alba ; Collinsia bicolor alba ; Convolvulus minor alba ; Dianthus sinensis alba ; 

 Iberis coronata; Lupinus Dunnettii supurbus, Hartwegii albus; Malva zebrina; Nolana 

 grandiflora ; Silene armeria alba ; white Virginian Stock. 



