102 breck's new book op flowers. 



in bloom. This succeeds best when sown late in autumn 

 or very early in the spring. The seed may be sown in 

 drills, eight or ten inches ajDart, in beds, and the plants 

 well thinned out. Larkspur, and many other hardy annual 

 seeds, if sown late in autumn, lie dormant all winter, and 

 give much stronger plants than the same kinds of seed 

 sown very early in the spring, notwithstanding those sown 

 in the spring may appear above ground as soon as those 

 sown in autumn. The reason probably is, that the au- ' 

 tumnal sown seeds are so prej^ared, by the action of the 

 frost, that they start with greater vigor, and consequently 

 are more robust than the spring sown seeds. 



Some seeds are difficult to germinate. Cypress- Vine is 

 an example, the seeds of which require scalding, to facili- 

 tate germination ; or, if the hull is carefully taken off with 

 a penknife, so as not to injure the germ, the object is ef- 

 fected, and it will innnediately vegetate. The seed of 

 Gomphrena glohosa (Globe Amaranth) is encased in a 

 thick coating of woolly substance, which greatly retards 

 vegetation. If this be taken off with the hull, the germ 

 will push immediately; or, if the seed is soaked in milk 

 twenty-four hours before planting, it will soon start ; but, 

 if planted with the coating on, or Avithout soaking, very 

 few will appear above ground. 



As a general rule, the depth of planting flower seeds is 

 to be governed by their size. For example, the Sweet Pea 

 and Lupine may be planted an inch deep, and so in propor- 

 tion. Annuals have a pleasing effect when planted in masses, 

 particularly when the pleasure-ground is extensive. For this 

 purpose, the Verbenas, of various colors, Portulacas, N"e- 

 mophila, Phlox Drummondii, Coreopsis Driimmondii, Can- 

 dy-tufts, and many other dwarf plants, are desirable. Beds 

 of any of these, or others of similar habit, in a well-managed 

 lawn, are very ornamental. The beds should be either 

 round, oval, starry, or irregular ; but never square, dia- 



