ANNUALS 



ever in May or June, and under no circum- 

 stances to transplant. Seeds sown in the fall will 

 germinate freely in spring, and produce earlier 

 flowers and sturdier plants than you can get in 

 any other way. In planting, scatter your seed 

 broadcast evenly over the bed, and then work 

 the soil lightly over them with the back of the 

 rake. If some of the seeds are obstinate, and 

 refuse to be covered in this way, you may press 

 them under the surface with the finger-tip. The 

 seeds will do better, if after all this you press the 

 soil down lightly with the palm of the hand or a 

 suitable board. 



The genus Tagetes furnishes three species of 

 Marigolds, — 'T. erecta, the African; 'T.patula, 

 the French ; and 7*. signata, the Dwarf Mar- 

 igold. All are natives of Mexico and South 

 America. The African Marigold is the tall- 

 est of the genus, growing to a height of fully 

 thirty inches, and bearing the largest flowers, 

 some double varieties showing blossoms over 

 four inches in diameter. The range of color is 

 not extensive, embracing only a deep orange 

 and a pale yellow. The flowers are both single 

 and double ; but seed from the latter, though 

 carefully selected, is apt to produce a considerable 



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