1 2 Encyclopaedia of Gardening 



often, perhaps, that a whole bed is given up to a collection of hardy 

 annuals, but there is no reason why it should not be done. With 

 tall things like Sweet Peas and the beautiful pink Lavatera towards 

 the centre, and dwarfer kinds like Godetias, Nasturtiums, Clarkias, 

 Larkspurs, Love-in-a-mist, Poppies, and Mignonette near the front, 

 a bed of annuals would be really beautiful. In such a case they 

 should be sown in groups. The ground should be well dug, and 

 may have a dressing of manure if poor; but it is easy to make soil 

 too rich for annuals, and if the mould is fertile some burnt refuse 

 and a handful of superphosphate per square yard will be preferable 

 to dung. The surface may be left lumpy when digging, and raked 

 down fine just before sowing. As the seed of many kinds is small, 

 it is particularly necessary to prepare a fine tilth. Early April is a 

 good time to sow if the weather is favourable. Thought should be 

 given to space. It is not prudent to sow patches of different kinds 

 of plants within a foot of each other, making 110 allowance for their 

 development. Remember that even if only a small quantity of seed 

 is sown there may be 50 plants in each patch. As a safeguard 

 against crowding, which prevents the different kinds from being 

 well displayed, and is bad for the individuals, every distinct kind 

 should be sown in a ring as far from its neighbour as that plant 

 grows high (see table below). The ring system of sowing is prefer- 

 able to a broadcast patch because it gives a defined area for each 

 kind, and at the same time reduces the labour of thinning. For 

 example, if a ring a foot across is reserved for, say, a particular 

 variety of Godetia, and the seed is sprinkled thinly in a shallow 

 circular drill, there is likely to be much less seed used than if a 

 square foot of ground is sown with the same kind ; moreover, with 

 fewer surplus seedlings there will be less thinning-out to do. Yet 

 the ring of plants will be just as effective as the patch. It suffices 

 to cover the small-seeded kinds with half an inch of soil, and the 

 larger with an inch. In thinning, act before the plants have grown 

 large enough to get tangled and weakly. A preliminary " run 

 over " with finger and thumb when the seedlings are about an inch 

 high facilitates the final " singling," as it gives a sturdy lot of plants 

 to choose from. One sometimes sees 50 annuals crowding 6 ins. 

 of ground ; there should only be one plant on that area. Three or 

 four plants wdll make a better clump in a small area than 100. 

 Similar rings to those sown in a bed may be sown in selected positions 

 near the front of borders. 



Sowing half-hardy annuals. A simple method of raising half- 

 hardy annuals is to fill some shallow boxes with fine soil about mid- 

 March, draw shallow drills from back to front 2 ins. apart, sprinkle 

 the seed in thinly, and put a small label to each row. The boxes 

 may be stood on a greenhouse shelf or stage, or in a frame. If 

 they are put on a hotbed the plants must be hardened afterwards 

 in an unheated frame. As soon as they begin to crowd in the seed 

 boxes they must be pricked off 3 ins. apart in other boxes, kept in a 

 light airy place, and only watered sufficiently to prevent flagging. 

 By the time they begin to crowd again the weather will probably 

 be mild enough for them to be planted out, or they may be potted 

 singly. 



