Annuals from 5>eeli 



grown them around a twelve-foot bed of Ricinus and 

 Cannas, and notice that the plants are always much 

 finer on the north side. 



Try them as a border to a bed of Cannas or Ricinus, 

 edging them with white Sweet Alyssum or dwarf 

 Ageraturn. They root readily in wet sand in a warm 

 situation, and if a house-plant is available it may be 

 used for cuttings instead of sowing seed. 



Seed may be saved without injury to the plants 

 as it ripens, and must be gathered before the flowers 

 entirely fade. The corolla or lip of the flower falls 

 out, leaving four white seeds an eighth of an inch 

 long at the base of the calyx, which remains fresh un- 

 til the seeds have ripened, when they may be shaken 

 out. By going over the plants daily one soon saves 

 a fine lot of seed, which may be depended upon to 

 germinate. The Salvia seed germinates in about five 

 days. But less vigorous seed will continue to appear 

 for two or three weeks after sowing, and the soil 

 should not be disturbed until all have had time to 

 appear. They require considerable heat to germinate 

 freely, and when this is supplied will give very satis- 

 factory returns. Bonfire, Clara Bedman, and S. splen- 

 dens are the best of the scarlet-flowered variety. The 

 white-flowered Salvias would be desirable if the blos- 

 soms were more closely massed on the spray ; as it is 

 they are too scattered to have any value. S. patens, 

 however, when brought to perfection is magnificent, 

 the individual flowers being double the size of the 



