Annuals 



there is this danger, for these are nitrogen gatherers, and the addition of 

 nitrogenous manures makes them run too much to vine. The finer and 

 more broken down the manure the better. Spade it in. Mix it thoroughly 

 with the soil. If the soil is clay-like, see that fine manure is thoroughly 

 mixed with the surface layer to prevent "baking." 



Watering is an exacting labor, and yet half of it is usually unnecessary. 

 The reasons why it is unnecessary are two : the soil is so shallowly prepared 

 that the roots do not strike deep enough ; we waste the moisture by allowing 

 the soil to become hard, thereby setting up capillary connection with the 

 atmosphere and letting the water escape. See how moist the soil is in spring. 

 Mulch it so that the moisture will not evaporate. Mulch it with a garden 

 rake by keeping the soil loose and dry on top. This loose, dry soil is the 

 mulch. There will be moisture underneath. Save water rather than add 

 it. Then when you do have to water the plants, go at it as if you meant it. 

 Do not dribble and piddle. Wet the soil clear through. Wet it at dusk or in 

 cloudy weather. Before the hot sun strikes it, renew your mulch, or supply 

 a mulch of fine litter. As many plants are s])oiled 1>\^ si>rinklin,u: as by drought. 

 Bear in mind that watering is only a 

 special practice; the general prac- 

 tice is so to fit and maintain the 

 ground that the plants will not 

 need watering. 



The less your space the fewer 

 the kinds you should plant. Have 

 enough of each kind to be worth 

 the while and the effort. It is as 

 much trouble to raise one plant 

 as a dozen. 



It is usually best not to try to 

 make formal "designs" with an- 

 nuals. Such designs are special 

 things, anyway, and should be used 

 sparingly, and be made only by per- 

 sons who are skilled in such work. 

 A poor or unsuccessful design is the 

 sorriest failure that a garden can 

 have. Grow the plants for them- j,p,„,,^ mom.ng-gior 



