52 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Picinus, or Castor Oil Plant. — This is grown for peculiarly 

 formed and ornamental foliage, and erect, stately habit, rather 

 than its bloom, which is insignificant. It also has the reputed 

 credit of keeping moles from the grounds where grown. Does 

 best as single specimens, and is fine for growing with shrubbery 

 in the lawn, attaining a height of 3 to i5 feet. 



Ten-Week Stock {MatJnola annua) — Should by no means be 

 neglected. Its numerous spikes of fragrant double flowers, almost 

 equaling the hyacinth in richness, retain their luxuriant appear- 

 ance from July until frost. They are of nearly every shade of 

 color, and are every way desirable, growing 6 inches to 2 feet 

 high. Sow in May, in rich, finely prepared border. 



Nasturtion {Tropoiolum major andw?m<9r). — These are fine plants 

 to ffrow alono; fences, old stone walls, etc., their dense foliasre and 

 semi-climbing habit soon covering unsightly objects. The foliaire 

 is quite ornamental, and flowers of brilliant orange, red and varie- 

 gated colors. Beside being ornamental in flower and foliage, the 

 green seed capsules form a desirable pickle. One variety, the 

 jperegriiiiim (Canary flower), is a good climber, growing 10 to 15 

 feet, and blooms like all other species until frost. Sow" in May. 



Zinnia. — The old sort was prett}^ but is now mostly super- 

 seded by the double variety, a splendid showy flower when 

 planted in masses. It is an annual, and not only blooms continu- 

 ally until frost, but the flowers, by their own successive changes 

 of color, give to the whole mass an ever varying beauty. Some 

 of the double flowers are very large, but seed of these will some- 

 times produce single flowers, especially on poor soil. They grow 

 li to 2 feet high. Sow in a nicely prepared border, in the first 

 or second week of May. 



Among the Everlasting Flowers, Acroclinium roseum, Gom- 

 phrena glohosa (glol)e amaranth), Helichrysum, Ehodanthe macii- 

 lata, and Xeranthemum are most desirable. They are to be sown 

 about the middle of May, in finely prepared soil. 



Perennial Flowers — Or those which do not bloom the season 

 they are sown, but endure the winter and flower the following and 

 succeeding years. In this respect they are less trouble than those 

 which require sowing every year, and as a class perhaps more 

 beautiful. One other thing is in their favor, viz.: they may be 

 sown late in spring after the hurried season is over, and they w411 

 flower just as well the following yeai'. Many persons who think 

 it too much trouble to sow annuals every spring, prefer these 



