108 ANNUALS, HARDY AND TENDER [May. 



as to show any of the back. One of the most perfect 

 flowers, in this respect, is the Springfield Rival. When the 

 petals are pointed, notched, fringed, piped, quilled, concave, 

 convex, or flat, the perfectness of the circle is broken, and 

 one indispensable beauty in the eye of the florist is deficient. 

 " When the eye or disk is shown in the full-blown flower, 

 it is also a striking defect. 



" The side view of a first-rate flower should be that of a 

 perfect hemisphere. 



" There is, perhaps, no example of this perfection of form 

 without some slight deficiency. The Countess of Liverpool 

 is one of the nearest to a perfect flower in this respect. 



" 2. Colour. This is looked upon by florists as an inferior 

 consideration to form, though it is usually the first to attract 

 the notice of common observers. 



" In flowers of one colour, or selfs, the colour ought to be 

 bright and distinct, without any breaking or blotching. 

 When there are stripes, mottlings, shadings, or edgings, 

 these should be clear and uniformly marked, the colours dis- 

 tinct without clouding or running. 



" 3. Size. Although large flowers with superior form 

 and clear distinct colours are esteemed superior to small 

 flowers with the same properties, yet size alone is looked 

 upon by florists as nothing when form and colour are defec- 

 tive." 



Particular care should be taken with seeds, especially such 

 as are saved from fine sorts. If they are sown, about the 

 first of April, on a gentle hot-bed, or in a green-house in 

 plots, filled with light rich earth, cover the seeds about 

 three-', aghths of an inch, and when they have made leaves, 

 pot them off singly into small pots, till time for planting out, 

 or where a quantity is grown, three plants may be put into 

 one pot, and thus planted, and when they bloom the bad can 

 be pulled up, leaving those of good character to stand for 

 farther trial; none should be kept but such as come up to 

 the above rules ; and if they do not do so the first year, there 

 is little hope of their being more perfect the second. 



ANNUALS, HARDY AND TENDER. 



By the first of the month, finish sowing all hardy Annuals 

 and Biennials ; and about the middle of the month all thosi 



