90 NEW ZEALAND GARDENING. 



Antirrhinum (Snapdragon). The characteristics of 

 a perfect Antirrhinum : 



i. The plant should be dwarf; the flowers abundant; 

 the mouth wide, and the more the inner surface turns up to 

 hide the tube the better. 2. The tube should be clear and 

 pure if white, and if any other colour it should be bright ; 

 and the mouth and all the inner surface, should be of a 

 different colour and texture, and form a contrast with the 

 tube. 3. The petal should lap over at the indentations, so 

 as not to show them ; the texture of the tube should be 

 like wax or enamel ; the inside surface, which laps over, 

 should be velvety. 4. When the flower is striped or spotted, 

 the marking should be well-defined in all its variations ; the 

 colour should be dense, whatever that colour may be. 5. 

 The flowers should form spikes of six or seven blooms, 

 close, but not in each other's way ; and the footstalks should 

 be strong and elastic, to keep them from hanging down close 

 to the stem, which they will do if the footstalks are weak. 



Propagation : by Seed. The Antirrhinum may be sown 

 in the open border of the garden. Procure a few of the best 

 sorts in cultivation, grow them one year, and save seeds from 

 them, keeping the seed of each variety to itself. 



The time for sowing is about the second week in October. 

 Sown in March they will flower the following season. When 

 the seedlings have attained an inch or two in height, they 

 may be planted out, and they will thrive in any good garden 

 soil. 



Propagation : by Cuttings is the easiest method ; they 

 grow freely if placed in a shaded border either in Spring or 

 in Autumn. This is the best method for perpetuating really 

 good kinds. 



If it is desired to have a long season of bloom, cut down 

 the first flowering spikes before the seed is formed, then 

 fresh flower-spikes will push forth from the base of each 

 plant, and there will be a succession of bloom. 



The finest flowers will always be produced on young 

 plants ; therefore, whoever wishes to excel in blooms should 

 renew his bed and plants annually. 



