244 MANUAL OF GARDENING 



board. This promoies capillarity, by which the surface of the 

 soil is better supplied with moisture from below. Always mark 

 with a label the kind and position of all seed sown. 



If the flowers are to be grown about the edges of the lawn, 

 make sure that the grass roots do not run underneath them and 

 rob them of food and moisture. It is well to run a sharp spade 

 deep into the ground about the edges of the bed every two or 

 three weeks for the purpose of cutting off any grass roots that 

 may have run into the bed. If beds are made in the turf, see 

 that they are 3 ft. or more wide, so that the grass roots will not 

 undermine them. Against the shrub borders, this precaution 

 may not be necessary. In fact, it is desirable that the flowers 

 fill all the space between the overhanging branches and the sod. 



It is surprising how few of the uncommon or little known 

 annuals really have great merit for general purposes. There is 

 nothing yet to take the place of the old-time groups, such as 

 amaranths, zinnias, calendulas, daturas, balsams, annual pinks, 

 candytufts, bachelor's buttons, wallflowers, larkspurs, petu- 

 nias, gaillardias, snapdragons, coxcombs, lobelias, coreopsis or 

 calliopsis, California poppies, four-o' clocks, sweet sultans, 

 phloxes, mignonettes, scabiosas, nasturtiums, marigolds, China 

 asters, salpiglossis, nicotianas, pansies, portulacas, castor beans, 

 poppies, sunflowers, verbenas, stocks, alyssums, and such good 

 old running plants as scarlet runners, sweet peas, convolvuluses, 

 ipomeas, tall nasturtiums, balloon vines, cobeas. Of the annual 

 vines of recent 'ntroduction, the Japanese hop has at once taken 

 a prominent place for the covering of fences and arbors, although 

 it has no floral beauty to recommend it. 



For bold mass-displays of color in the rear parts of the grounds 

 or along the borders, some of the coarser species are desirable. 

 Good plants for such use are : sunflower and castor bean for the 

 back rows; zinnias for bright effects in the scarlets and lilacs; 

 African marigolds for brilliant yellows; nicotianas for whites. 

 Unfortunately, we have no robust-growing annuals with good 



