108 ANNUALS, HARDY AND TENDER. \_May. 



rior consideration to form, though it is usually the first to 

 attract the notice of common observers. 



" In flowers of one colour, or selfs, the colour ought to be 

 bright and distinct, without any breaking or blotching. 

 When there are stripes, mottlings, shadings, or edgings, 

 these should be clear and uniformly marked, the colours 

 distinct without clouding or running. 



" 3. Size. Although large flowers with superior form 

 and clear distinct colours are esteemed superior to small 

 flowers with the same properties, yet size alone is looked 

 upon by florists as nothing when form and colour are de- 

 fective." 



Particular care should be taken with seeds, especially 

 such as are saved from fine sorts. If they are sown about 

 the first of April, on a gentle hot-bed, or in a green-house 

 in plots, filled with light rich earth, covering the seeds 

 about three-eighths of an inch, and when they have made 

 leaves, pot them off singly into small pots, till time for 

 planting out, or where a quantity is grown, three plants 

 may be put into one pot, and thus planted, and when they 

 bloom the bad can be pulled up, leaving those of good cha- 

 racter to stand for farther trial : none should be kept but 

 such as come up to the above rules; and if they do not do 

 so the first year, there is little hope of their being more 

 perfect the second. 



ANNUALS, HARDY AND TENDER. 



By the first of the month finish sowing all hardy An- 

 nuals and Biennials ; and about the middle of the month 

 all those that are tropical. The weather being now warm, 

 they will vegetate in a few days or weeks. Attend to thin- 

 ning of those that are too thick, giving gentle waterings to 

 such as are weak in dry weather. Those that have been 

 protected in frames should be fully exposed therein night 

 and day; take the first opportunity of damp cloudy days 

 to have them transplanted into the borders or beds, lifting 

 them out of the frame with as much earth as will adhere 

 to their roots. 



