36 THE PRACTICAL GARDEN -BOOK 



directly into the soil. In order to attain quick and continu- 

 ous effects, it is advisable to set the plants rather close. 

 As such plants are likely to be injured by strong winds, it 

 is well to have subtropical beds in a somewhat protected 

 place. 



Another type of bed is that which attempts to make 

 patterns or designs, or carpet-bedding. There are com- 

 paratively few plants which are adapted to this purpose, 

 for the plants must be such as will stand shearing and which 

 have very strong and constant colors of foliage. The most 

 popular bedding plants are coleus (particularly the yellow 

 Golden Bedder) achyranthes, alternanthera, Centaurea 

 gymnocarpa, and such succulent plants as the house leeks. 

 Some of the annual flowers may also be used for strong 

 color effects, as Lobelia Erinus and sweet alyssum. Ordi- 

 narily the making of carpet-beds should be left to profes- 

 sional gardeners, since it requires much skill and care to 

 make and keep the beds in perfect condition ; and a ragged 

 or imperfect carpet-bed is worse than no bed at all. Carpet- 

 beds are really curiosities, and they have no more legitimate 

 place in the general pictorial landscape design area than 

 painted stones or sheared evergreens. Therefore, they 

 should be placed by themselves at one side, where they do not 

 interfere with the general design of the place. In public 

 parks they make a very useful attraction when set off by 

 themselves, the same as zoological gardens or other attrac- 

 tions do. 



Beefsteak Geranium is Begonia. 



Beets. Being one of the hardiest of spring 

 vegetables, the seed may be sown as early in the spring as 

 the ground can be worked. A light, sandy soil is the best 

 on which to grow Beets to perfection, but any well tilled 

 garden soil will raise satisfactory crops. On heavy soil the 

 turnip Beet gives the best results, as the growth is nearly 

 all at or above the surface. The long varieties, having 

 tapering roots running deep into the soil, are apt to be mis- 



