ANNUALS. 



243 



six feet. The central flower is enormous, and usually five or six 

 side-flowers are thrown out from the stem. A small boy employed in 

 the garden once took a visitor to this flower, and said, " Please, sir, 

 this is the finest flower in the garden." 



The Dianthus chinensis (fig. 486) and its varieties are very beautiful. 

 The seed should be sown early in March, in a frame, and the young 

 plants pricked out afterwards in the borders. The flowers are large, and 



FIG. 485. Sunflower. 



FIG. 486. Uianthus chinensis 

 (Hedwigii). 



FIG. 487 Phlox Drummondii. 



finely pencilled, and we obtain blossom in August and September. 

 Some seedlings yield single flowers and some double, but both are 

 beautiful. The variety called PIcdivigii is remarkable for the size 

 of the flowers. 



Another annual of great beauty, and much used 

 everywhere, is the Phlox Drummondii (fig. 487). It 

 is a plant having considerable variety of rich colour, i 

 and should be grown every year. It may be 

 employed with advantage for edging beds. 



I have been much struck with the effect which 

 is produced at the Zoological Gardens by the use 

 of Chilian Beet (Beta chilensis, fig. 488), the veins of 

 the leaves of which are intensely and variously 

 coloured some brilliant scarlet, others yellow ; and 

 the large fleshy leaf, and the intensity of its 

 colouring, make it an important plant for decoration. The seed should 

 be sown in March or April in a pan, and planted out in May.* It is 



R 2 



FIG. 488. Chilian Beet. 



