ANNUALS. 65 



it again with the drawn-off earth. Half an inch is 

 sufficient depth for small seed. The larger kind, 

 such as sweet-peas, lupins, &c., must be sown an 

 inch in depth. When the plants have been up 

 some time, thin them well. The more space you 

 have, the finer the plants will rise. 



The hardy annuals will not bear transplanting : 

 they must be left to flourish where they are sown. 

 The large kinds, such as the lavatera or mallow, 

 should only be sown in groups of three plants to- 

 gether. The lupin tribe should not exceed five 

 plants in a group. The Convolvulus, also, requires 

 four or five plants only in a group. Water the 

 patches in dry weather moderately, and be careful 

 never to use pump water. If you have no soft 

 water, a tub should be placed in the garden to re- 

 ceive rain water; and if, as in towns, pump water 

 must be chiefly used, let it remain a day or two in 

 the tub, to soften in the air and sunshine. 



The first week in April is the safest period for 

 sowing annuals, as the cutting winds have ceased 

 by that time, and frost is not so much to be appre- 

 hended. The soft rains, also, fall in warm showers, 

 to give life and germ to seeds and plants, and they 

 appear in a shorter space of time. 



Those ladies who live in the vicinity of nursery 

 gardens, have a great advantage over the more re- 

 mote flower-fanciers. They can be supplied, at a 

 trifling expense, with all the tender annuals from 

 hot-beds, either in pots, or drawn ready for imme- 

 diate transplanting. 



If you do not raise your own seed, be careful 

 how you purchase your stock, and of whom you 

 receive it. Many seedsmen sell the refuse of 

 many years 1 stock to their youthful customers, and 



