nS 



stocky plants may be ready to set out as soon as the 

 weather is warm and settled. The seed should be planted 

 in March or the first part of April : as soon as the plants 

 have been set out where they are to remain, and have 

 made a good start, they should be tied to stout stakes, 

 and carefully trimmed from time to time to make them 

 symmetrical. Do not set the plants nearer in the rows 

 than four feet apart and cultivate often. As regards 

 varieties a good strain of mixed seed is what we need. 



AGERATUM. 



There arc several varieties of this popular plant ; blue, 

 pink, lavender blue, and white. The Ageratum is valuable, 

 on account of the length of time it remains in bloom and 

 for contrast of color with the more brilliant flowers. It is 

 good in clumps or masses, and the dwarf sorts are excel- 

 lent bedding plants; it blooms constantly all summer, 

 and if removed to the house will bloom in winter. The 

 flowers are always clear in color and very desirable for 

 boquet work. Their culture is easy as they succeed well 

 in almost any soil ; the seeds should be started early and 

 the plants transplanted. The species Mexicanum is the 

 one usually cultivated; color, lavender blue, and grows 

 two feet in height ; other varieties are Lasseauxii, pink; 

 Mexicanum Album, white ; Little Dorrit, a dwarf azure 

 blue bedding variety, and Imperial Dwarf, also blue. 



MARIGOLD. 



The African and French marigolds are old favorites in 

 our gardens, the former (Tagetes Erecta) have large 

 yellow or orange colored flowers, and usually attain a 

 couple of feet in height ; the latter (Tagetes patula) are 

 more dwarf, and have their flowers striped with deep 

 brown, purple and } r ellow. The African is the most 

 striking in large beds, or mixed borders, while the Dwarf 

 French makes an excellent foreground to tall plants and 

 is much used for edgings ; but both varieties are very 

 showy when planted in masses ; they bloom continuous!}' 



