248 BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS 



causes growth so luxuriant that the plants flower poorly. There 

 are few classes of garden plants, whether fruit, flowers, or vegetables, 

 for which we would prefer a light, shallow soil to a heavy, deep 

 one, but the Annuals certainly constitute one. Even in the case 

 of shallow, dry soil overlying chalk that bogey of the gardener 

 we would say that the disadvantage lies with the heavy soil, 

 except for Sweet Peas. Mignonette is at its best and sweetest in 

 light, chalky ground ; it thrives to perfection, and blooms gloriously. 

 Clarkias, Godetias, Mallows, Sweet Sultans, Candytuft, Love-in-a- 

 Mist (Nigella), Larkspurs all these will thrive in such land, at 

 which the Dahlia grower, for instance, would be horrified. The 

 pretty Love-in-a-Mist, generally regarded as an interesting, but 

 merely second-class, summer garden flower, becomes a plant of 

 real importance on chalk. It grows freely, flowers abundantly for 

 two or three months, and its blue is the clear, pellucid hue of 

 Italian skies. 



We see, then, that as far as Annuals are concerned we may 

 easily be too kind. We may waste labour and manure. We may 

 make the plants grow too well or, rather, too strongly. There is 

 no need whatever for digging more than a spade deep, and the 

 amount of manure used should not exceed the very modest 

 quantity of one barrow-load per square rod. But while the grower 

 should be scrupulously careful not to overdo the use of forcing 

 manures, he may with advantage draw upon chemical manures of 

 the class which encourage flowering rather than leaf production. 

 Of such are the phosphatic and potassic fertilisers. Of the former 

 bone flour may be named, and of the latter sulphate of potash. 

 An ounce of each of these to the square yard, spread on whenever 

 the ground is dug, but preferably in February or March, will be 

 beneficial, leading to the production of abundance of flowers, and 

 to the enrichment of their colours. 



It is an excellent plan to rough-dig the ground in winter, 

 leaving the surface quite lumpy, and then to spread on some wood 



