134 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the Dwarf Scabious, Ten-weeks Stocks, and Sinirlc Dahlias <;rown 

 as annuals. lie does not think sweet peas need new ground 

 every year; be had grown them on the same ground seven years. 

 In answer to an inquiry he said that as a rule the named varieties 

 come true to name. He imports every year all the new varieties 

 offered. One cannot grow everything and it is better to grow a 

 few things well. 



Arthur II. Fewkes mentioned the Salpiglossis. the Single An- 

 nual Chrysanthemum, and the small Single Marigold as annuals 

 which should be in every collection. He sows pansies in August 

 and transplants and before w'inter covers them with brush, and 

 they are ready to flower as soon as the weather is warm enough in 

 spring. By July the flowers are small, and he prunes them in 

 and pinches out the flower buds and they flower abundantly in the 

 fall. The colors of the Salpiglossis are ver}' rich. They are best 

 sown in March,' and should first be established in small pots and 

 then planted out in soil suitable for petunias. They do well in 

 his soil, which is rather light and sandy but quite rich. It is well 

 to water them in dry weather. They flower freely all summer. 



William II. Badlam asked Mr. Faxon whether he had ever dug 

 a trench twelve or eighteen inches deep and filled the bottom with 

 manure, for sweet peas. 



Mr. Faxon replied that he had not done so, but he thought this 

 would be a good way. The sweet pea is a very gross feeder 

 and needs a liberal manuring. 



Mr. Badlam said that some of his friends have cast-iron rules ; 

 they must always plant sweet peas on Fast Day, and they pursue 

 the plan which he had described, and always succeed. 



Mr. Faxon said that they could not do otherwise than well. 



Joseph H. Woodford said that for sweet peas he digs a trench 

 two spades deep anrl fills in with manure and mixes with the soil 

 so as to leave it two or three inches below the surface. On this 

 he sows the seed, covering it an inch, and when the plants are up 

 draws more soil on so that the ground is level when he sticks 

 them, lie puts in heavy sticks, as he must to support them. 

 The flowers must be picked every day, or there will be no late 

 ones. The object of all annual plants is to grow, flower, and per- 

 fect their seed, and when they are allowed to do the last they die 

 and you get no more flowers. The first flowers of the aster are 

 froui the centre of the plant, and they are very fine ; and if you 



