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attain perfection, should be sown in soil that is both rich and well 

 worked. Great pains are generally taken with the soil of the 

 vegetable garden, but that of the flower garden is left very much 

 to itself, with the exception of a light digging once a year, and 

 occasionally a little manure applied, whereas it should be well and 

 deeply dug and highly manured. 



Sowing. All the hardiest kinjl of annuals attain the greatest 

 perfection when sown in autumn, because they have a longer season 

 to grow. They attain greater development, and consequently 

 flower the stronger ; but tender sorts must not be sown till spring. 

 Like all other seeds, they succeed best in a firm soil ; therefore, 

 if the soil has been recently dug, it should be pressed more or less 

 before sowing. If the seeds are very line but large seeds are 

 better to be sown first, and trodden or otherwise pressed into the 

 soil the less covering will then be required. For the finest seeds 

 it is advisable to sift a little fine compost on the spot, and press it 

 smooth before the seeds are sown. The covering must be in pro- 

 portion to the size of the seeds. The largest of the lupin seeds 

 may have an inch in depth of covering, while the twentieth of an 

 inch or less will be sufficient for the smallest. Indeed, fine silver 

 sand, just sufficient to cover the soil, may be sifted on them, and to 

 prevent the soil from drying before the seeds have had time to 

 germinate, it should be closely covered by a flower pot, a bell or 

 hand glass, or even a flat pane of glass ; but that, or any covering 

 impervious to light, should be gradually removed as soon as the 

 seeds germinate. It is a common and injurious fault either to sow 

 too thickly, or to thin the plants insufficiently, as when overcrowded 

 they can neither develop to perfection nor flower finely. Thinning 

 should commence as soon as the plants can be fairly laid hold of, 

 and continued until each plant has sufficient space for full develop- 

 ment. Seeds of biennial or perennial plants, being sown in rows 

 or beds for transplanting, need be only thinned to such an extent 

 as to prevent overcrowding before being transplanted. An old- 

 fashioned plan is to sow the seeds of annuals in rings, and it 

 answers well enough for large-growing plants ; but smaller ones 

 are better sown in patches, which in both cases may correspond 

 in extent with the size the plants attain. 



Armiigcincnt. When annuals are sown in mixed beds or 

 borders, they must, of course, correspond in height with the other 

 plants, the dwarfest being nearest the eye. The same rule must be 

 followed when beds are filled solely with annuals. The colors 

 should contrast with each other, and also with those of other 

 plants that are near. When annuals are grown alone in beds or 

 borders, various modes of arrangement may be followed. A peculiar 

 effect may be produced by mixing seeds of different kinds and 

 sowing them together. In large beds they may be arranged in 

 bands, according to size, sloping from back to front, or in groups, 

 each sort forming a group. 



