LIST OF ANNUALS 549 



Annual Climbers. The small garden, and for that matter the larger ones too, would 

 suffer if the annual climbers were not available. The Canary Creeper ( Trop&olum can- 

 ariense), which will cover a pole or hide a stretch of fence in a single season, is one of the 

 most useful kinds, and there is fresh beauty in its green leaves and bright yellow flowers. 

 The Japanese Hop is a climber of wonderful growth. It is irresistible, covering a pergola 

 or summer-house even in a few weeks. Its variegated form is pretty and distinct. 

 Sweet Peas will hide a fence or scramble over some ugly spot, not of great height ; and 

 amongst other climbers are the popular climbing Nasturtiums or Tropaeolums, varieties 

 of T. lobbianum, and the bright-coloured, always welcome Convolvulus major. A 

 very pretty red and yellowish tender annual is Mina lobata, but it is not always a success, 

 requiring a very warm spot and thoroughly well-drained soil. The seeds of this must 

 be sown in heat in spring, and the same may be written of Thunbcrgia alata. Mr. 

 Greenwood Pirn, a sincere lover of flowers, writes of the Thunbergia that, " though in 

 cultivation for three-quarters of a century, it is not so often seen as its merits deserve." 

 It belongs to the order of Acanthacese, and is a very slender, twining plant, practically an 

 annual, though, under favourable circumstances, perennial. It occurs commonly in six 

 varieties : white, light buff, and light orange, each with a self-coloured throat, and the 

 same series with a purple- black throat, from which it sometimes gets the name of Black- 

 eyed Susan. It is extremely easily grown, and will do in the stove, greenhouse, or, after 

 a fashion, outside, but an airy greenhouse seems to suit it best. Sown in January, it will 

 flower all the summer with ordinary care, but look out for red spider. Ipomcea rubro- 

 cczrulta is a lovely blue-flowered climber for warm wall. Sow the seeds under glass in 

 April, transplant in June. A tender plant. 



Annual Grasses. Many of these are of delicate beauty; they may be raised from 

 seed sown in spring in the open ground. A good selection would comprise : Agrostis 

 pulchella, a beautiful small grass; A. nebulosa, and the popular fluffy Hare-tail Grass 

 (Lagurus ovatus], which should be chosen first, because of its distinctness. Also beauti- 

 ful are the large Quaking Grass (Briza maxima}, B. minima, which is smaller, hence 

 the name ; Eragrostis clegans, a very graceful grass ; and the Barley Grass (Hordeum 

 jubatum}. The seed should be sown early in April ; and the seed of some kinds , Agrostis 

 pulchella in particular, is so fine that it is necessary to mix it with fine soil to ensure even 

 distribution. Sow the seeds where they are to remain, and when the sowings have been 

 thick, thin out judiciously. Eragrostis elegans is pretty by waterside, and will sometimes 

 perpetuate itself. These grasses are very pretty and useful for winter decoration, and 

 when required for this purpose it is needful to gather them before heavy rains occur. 

 Gather them on a bright afternoon, tie them into small bundles, place in a dry room away 

 from the window, and in an upright position. 



