BVEELASTING FLOWERS. 355 



If the seed be planted in May, in light soil, the plants ■will grow 

 rapidly, and bloom from July to October. Tropeolum Lobbianum, 

 and its varieties, are not well adapted for out-door culture in our 

 climate, but may be grown as green-house climbers. 



EVEELASTIN^G FLOWEES. 



These are a special treasure to those who do not wish to 

 undertake the care of a green-house, or who have no suitable 

 exposure for window plants. They do not appear to any advan- 

 tage in the garden when it is gay with summer flowers, but when 

 wintry winds toss the seared leaves about the garden, or whirl 

 the snows in blinding eddies above the flower beds, then the 

 Everlastings play an important part in the Christmas decorations, 

 and mingled with the ornamental grasses, make charming bou- 

 quets of rare beauty. Eetaining both form and color, they may 

 be used for the same purposes as fresh plucked flowers, but 

 requiring no water to keep them fresh. They should be gathered 

 just before they are fully expanded, tied loosely in small bunches — 

 large bunches are apt to mildew — and hung up in the shade to 

 dry. We have thought they retained their brightness of color 

 better if laid away carefully in a drawer as soon as they are 

 sufficiently dried, or hung in a dark closet. 



AcROCLixiUM. — This is one of the best. There are pure 

 white and bright rose-colored varieties. The seed may be sown 

 in the open ground after the weather has become settled, and 

 the plants thinned to about six or eight inches apart. The 

 flowers should be cut just before they are fully expanded. 



GoMPHREXA. — This is the Globe Amaranth or English Clover 

 of many gardens. The seed grows best if started in a hot-bed, 

 or in a box of fine earth in the kitchea. "When the weather has 

 become warm the plants may be set out about a foot apart in 

 the open ground. The flowers of these should be allowed to^ 

 remain on the plant imtil near the end of the summer, when they 

 will have become fully developed. There are pure white, flesh- 



