THE ANNUAL IN SCOTLAND 



Perennials T N the flower-gardening of summer and autumn some 

 as Annuals perennials are customarily treated as annuals or as biennials, 



with the result that the annual of the botanist and of the 

 gardener is not always the same. This manner of producing 

 plants from seeds has not a little to recommend it. They be- 

 come more amenable both to the inspirations of genius, and to 

 the operations of the ordinary flower-gardener, who copies as he 

 goes. They yield bloom of a superior quality to that of older 

 plants, whilst in their production there is a minimum of misspent 

 labour. Hence it may be expected that, along with Pentstemons, 

 Carnations, Delphiniums, tall Lobelias, Hollyhocks, Celsias, 

 Michaelmas Daisies, and Antirrhinums, to note the chief, the 

 number of perennials cultivated in this way will year by year be 

 increased. 



For it cannot be denied that the annuals and biennials 

 which produce flowers equal in beauty and effect to these 

 perennials are not many, and accordingly the ardent horti- 

 culturist, in search of improved material, is continually breaking 

 down the artificial wall of division which separates the one from 

 the other. An examination of Mrs Loudon's beautiful book 

 on Annuals proves that in the scarcely seventy years since it 

 was published the progress made by annuals is not great. 

 One reason is that annuals at that period were in the ascendant, 

 though shortly thereafter eclipsed by tender bedding plants, and 

 it is only in recent years that they have to some extent regained 

 the position from which they were then deposed. 



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