AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



81 



Annuals continued. 



best sown in the spots where they are intended to remain 

 during March and April, and care most subsequently be 

 taken to keep the ground clear of weeds, and also to thin 

 out the seedlings, allowing each sufficient room to develop 

 and exhibit its true character. If allowed to remain too 

 crowded, the plants, as a matter of course, suffer, and the 

 size and number of the flowers and the general effect are 

 considerably decreased. Successional sowings of a good 

 many of the showy species will be found to prolong their 

 flowering season. In well-kept establishments, where 

 Annuals are duly appreciated, several sowings are made 

 in pots at intervals of a few weeks. As the previously- 

 Bown clumps begin to get shabby, they are removed, and 

 replaced by others which have still to flower. By this 

 means a continual sheet of blossom can be maintained for 

 a long time. It is much better to trust to plants grown 

 in pots in order to carry out the plan just sketched, as 

 these receive no check when placed in their new quarters ; 

 whilst transplanted clumps frequently fail, and many 

 species do not transplant at all readily from an open border. 

 In order to secure, in early spring, a fine show of such 

 plants as several of the Silenes, Myosotis, Saponaria, and 

 a number of others, it is best to sow the seeds in an open, 

 sheltered border, about the end of July or beginning of 

 August, taking care to keep a small reserve stock in a cold 

 frame, in case very severe weather kills the unprotected 

 plants. Half-hardy Annuals are those for which our climate 

 is not sufficiently warm, or, rather, our summer is not, as a 

 rule, either hot enough or long enough, to allow them to 

 grow, flower well, and ripen seeds, if sown in the open air. 

 Many of these are amongst the showiest of garden plants, 

 so it is worth while to give them the shelter of a warm 

 frame during their earlier stages, and gradually harden 

 them off, planting out at the end of May or beginning of 

 June, when danger resulting from severe weather is passed. 

 After germination, the seedlings should have plenty of light 

 and air, or a weak, spindly growth, and, as a consequence, 

 poor flowers, will result. The most satisfactory method 

 of watering very tiny seeds is to place a piece of fine 

 muslin over the seed-pot, through which the water will be 

 easily conveyed to the seeds, and thus prevent disturbance. 

 Tender A^nnala require the same treatment as the half- 

 hardy ones, except that they need throughout their exis- 

 tence the protection of a glass structure. All, or nearly 

 all, garden ATmnala delight in full sunlight and plenty of 

 air'. In the open, these requirements, as a rule, obtain, 

 but sometimes mistakes are made under glass by keeping 

 the plants too close and over much shaded, as well as too 

 great a distance from the glass. 



AjnrUIiAR. Having a ring-like form, 

 ANNULATE. With the appearance of rings. 

 ANCECTOCHHiTJS (from anoilctos, open, and eheilot, 

 a lip; in reference to the spreading apex of the lip). 

 STUB. AnecochHut, Chrytobaphut. OBD. Orchidea. Stove 

 terrestrial orchids, the radical leaves of which are the 

 chief attraction, being amongst the most beautiful and 

 delicate objects in the vegetable kingdom. The flowers, 

 which should be pinched off so soon as they appear, are, as 

 a rule, small and unattractive. Few of the species exceed 

 6in. in height, with leaves from 2in. to 6in. long, including 

 the fleshy petioles. They require a good deal of attention. 

 To one part of silver sand, thoroughly washed twice or 

 three times, add two of sphagnum, which should also 

 be well washed and picked over, when it should be 

 chopped into minute particles, in order that it may 

 freely amalgamate with the sand; mix a little loam and 

 peat with the whole. In the pots, when well drained by 

 first placing a large piece of potsherd over the bottom, 

 and nearly half filling up with pieces broken small and 

 of uniform size, place a thin layer of crude sphagnum, 

 afterwards filling firmly with the mixture above mentioned, 

 and bringing it up more or less in the form of a cone above 



hilus 



t\nued. 



the rim of the pot, into which the plants should be firmly 

 fixed. Plants which have been propagated by division 

 should be carefully transferred to 3--sized pots. About 

 five separate pieces might be placed evenly over the surface. 

 Make holes with a neat dibble, and into these drop the 

 roots their entire length, pressing the soil firmly with the 

 dibble. Fix them so that they may grow inwardly, and not 

 out over the rim of the pots, pegging each creeping root 

 needing such attention firmly down upon the surface of the 

 soil afterwards ; after a good soaking, they may be replaced 

 in any warm, shady situation. For propagating, a strong 

 plant is necessary ; it may be cut into pieces just below 

 the first joint, each piece having a root. The bottom piece 

 should have two eyes one to root from, and the other to 

 push into a shoot. The " bottom," or plant which has been 

 cut, should be replaced in its pot, and then put under a 

 bell glass. It will soon throw up a young shoot; this 

 ought to be left on until well rooted, when it may be 

 separated and treated similarly to the portion first re- 

 moved, still leaving the old part in the pot These plants 



FlO. 104. A.XECTOCHILCS FRIDERICI-ACGOSTL 



must be grown in glass cases, or under bell glasses, but 

 they should always have a little air, for, as Mr. Williams 

 says, when too much confined, they grow up spindly, and 

 damp off in the stem ; the latter, being fleshy, requires more 

 substance and sturdiness. Air should be admitted through 

 a space of about lin. or 2in. The following ranges of 

 temperature are advised: Winter, night, 55deg. to 

 60deg.; day, 65deg. to 70deg. during March, April, and 

 May; night, GOdeg. to 70deg.; and, afterwards, a few 

 degrees higher, with a TnaTimnm day temperature of 

 SOdeg. Bottom heat should not be given, as it induces a 

 weak, fast growth. Great care will be needed to prevent 

 ravages of insects. The most suitable month for repotting 

 is March, just before growth commences, when the plants 

 will need plenty of water up to October, excepting when 

 it is desirous to utilise them as drawing-room ornaments, 

 in which case they should be kept rather dry for a short 

 time previous. See also Docsinia, Goodyera, Hajmeria, 

 Macodes, Fhysurus, and Zeuxine. 



A. argenteus pictua (silvery-painted). A synonym of Pkynmu 

 pictvt. 



