ANNUAL FLOWER SEEDS. 23 



If some of the hardy annuals be sown in September, they 

 will grow large enough to survive the Winter, by a slight 

 covering of straw or litter ; and if plants thus raised be 

 transplanted early in the Spring, they will produce very 

 early flowers. The following are some of the hardiest : 

 Alyssum, sweet Evening Primrose 



Coreopsis, in varieties Larkspur, in varieties 



China aster, in varieties Pansey, or Heart's ease 



Catch fly Poppy, in varieties 



Chrysanthemum, in varieties Rocket Larkspur. 



To prevent disappointment, I would recommend that great 

 care be taken to keep the seed beds as clear from weeds 

 as possible. It cannot be denied but young plants are apt 

 to get smothered, and sometimes pulled up with weeds. 

 To obviate this, I would suggest that the seeds be sown in 

 shallow drills, each kind by itself, and that an account be 

 kept of the contents of each drill in a book ; also of all seeds 

 that are sown at different times, and by being particular in 

 the dates, you may always know when to expect your plants 

 to come up. Those persons who may be totally unac- 

 quainted with plants, will, by this means, be enabled to 

 identify each particular kind, and thus become familiarly 

 acquainted with them.* In order that this may be rendered 



* Lest the reader should contend that the author is herehy shifting 

 his own duty and responsibility on the cultivator, it may be necessary to 

 observe that a definition of all the peculiar qualities, forms, attitudes 

 and habits of growth, of the numerous species and varieties of plants, 

 embraced in an extensive catalogue, with minute directions for the 

 most appropriate culture of each, would alone occupy more space 

 than is allotted for this treatise, and that to expatiate on all the various 

 features of the floral kingdom, is a task which no author has ever 

 attempted; nor can any library be found, containing such a desideratum. 



The cultivator of a small garden may, however, by means of a memo- 

 randum book, describe the peculiarities of such plants as come under 

 his special care, as upright, procumbent, trailing, climbing, bushy, 

 slender stalked, herbaceous, shrubby, &c, and thus learn how to 

 cultivate and arrange the same, or similar plants, advantageously in 

 succeeding years; and it must be admitted that a few flowers selected, 

 so as to harmonize in their colours and habits of growth, cultivated 

 with precision, as respects soil and situation congenial to them, and 

 trained and pruned into regular and compact shapes, will yield more 

 pleasure and amusement,than three times the number taken promiscuous- 

 ly and cultivated under one uniform treatment, as is the general, though 

 not most judicious practice. 



