ANNUAL FLOWER SEEDS. 135 



the food of plants in general. It may be also observed that 

 the adaptation of plants to a soil congenial for them, is of 

 the utmost importance ; as plants cannot thrive well, when 

 improper food is absorbed by their roots. 



Under favorable circumstances, annual flower plants, in 

 general, will produce their flower buds within two months 

 from the period of sowing the seed. Some species, soon 

 after exhibiting their brilliant blossoms, disappear, while 

 others embellish the borders by their successional bloom for 

 two or three months. An assortment of seed judiciously 

 selected, and sown in due season, will afford amusement to 

 the cultivator the greater part of a summer, and yield seed 

 for the propagation of the species in succeeding years, if 

 gathered when ripe, and carefully preserved. 



Annual plants will grow from one to four feet in height, 

 in one uniform soil and situation, but as these are diversified 

 in almost every garden, no correct conclusion can be drawn ; 

 an attempt, however, has been made in the annexed cata- 

 logue, to describe the various species as nearly as possible, 

 which may serve as a guide to the gardener in planting ; 

 the most dwarfish being adapted to the front or outer edge 

 of the borders, and others in regular gradation. 



Those species market! thus, are tender. Those marked 

 thus, * should be sown in the spot where they are intended 

 to blossom, as they are apt to droop and die by being trans- 

 planted. A few are marked thus, f. These though culti- 

 vated as annuals, from their facilities in blossoming and 

 ripening their seed the first season, are in reality peren- 

 nial, as are also some other varieties from warm climates, 

 usually denominated annuals ; but as such could not be 

 cultivated at all by those who have no means of protecting 

 their plants through our severe winters, they may with 

 great propriety be treated as tender annuals, by sowing the 

 seed every Spring. 



