PART L] CULTURAL 85 



saturating the beds of sand, and the porous pots and their 

 contents. In winter or very wet weather the water can be 

 readily turned off. 



ANNUALS FOR THE ROCK-GARDEN. 



Although we do not connect annuals much with the alpine 

 flora of Europe, yet in other mountainous countries, as in 

 Mexico and California, annuals are less rare, and they need 

 not be entirely omitted from our view even in the rock- 

 garden, and some interesting rock plants are biennial or 

 annual, like the little Sun Eose of the Channel Islands. 

 Apart from the value of such plants, we have often to face 

 bare spaces in the rock-garden, owing to clearances, deaths, 

 or other causes, and it is not always easy to get perennial 

 rock plants enough to cover them as they ought to be covered. 

 The plan of dots of green on bare earth is one which it will 

 take a long time to eradicate from the gardening mind, but 

 those who care to fight against it may find annuals help us 

 much in covering freely open spaces, until such times as we can 

 afford to get plants of a more permanent character. 



A choice must be made of the most elegant and dwarf 

 kinds, and these that, by their stature or other characteristics, 

 are fitted for the rock-garden. 



Where there are plenty of means, these plants may be 

 raised in the elaborate ways usually recommended in books, 

 but those are not at all necessary. Eaising them in the ground 

 work, where we want them, is so simple that a child could do it. 

 Choosing the last week in April or first week in May in cool 

 districts, we have only to provide ourselves with the seeds 

 in packets, and to make level and rake over the different sur- 

 faces which we want to cover, and sow the seed broadcast over 

 all the surface destined for each group. Cover the soil lightly, 

 putting a mere sprinkling over the fine seeds. It will be found 

 that in that way the choicer annual flowers will come very well, 

 and be a useful aid, until our stock of the perennial alpine 

 plants are ready. 



