ON STOCKS AND WALLFLOWERS 357 



are apt to be succulent, and to succumb to severe and 

 prolonged frost. If bigger plants than the wall seed- 

 lings are wanted there is no difficulty in getting them 

 in combination with a tough, frost-resisting habit by 

 sowing seed in some spare part of the kitchen or 

 flower garden in May, and setting the plants out nine 

 inches apart in rows a foot asunder after a shower 

 in July. Nothing need be done to them save hoeing 

 until October or November, when they may be planted 

 a foot apart all ways in flower-beds from which summer- 

 blooming plants have been cleared, in borders under 

 the house windows, in window-boxes, and near the 

 front of herbaceous borders. The soil should not be 

 manured before planting, as it is desirable to maintain 

 the hard, woody habit which has developed as a result 

 of the thin culture. 



The Wallflower is a true perennial when growing 

 as a wilding ; its stems are seen to be woody and its 

 leaves few. In such a state it will live many years 

 and flower fairly well ; but garden plants treated as 

 biennials that is, raised and planted as suggested, and 

 thrown away after flowering are much finer in their 

 season, having much more foliage and therefore filling 

 beds better, and producing larger flowers. The seed 

 is cheap and the culture simple, consequently it is of 

 no advantage to let the plants assume their natural 

 character of perennials. 



Many seedsmen offer the following strains of Wall- 

 flowers : 



Annual. Brown, may be sown under glass in spring to 

 bloom the same year. 



Belvoir Castle. Pale yellow, one of the best, being a free 

 grower, an abundant bloomer, very bright, and highly perfumed. 



Blood Red. Dark red or brown, very sweet. 



