THE PRACTICAL FLOWER GARDEN 



There are a few annuals whieli should be 

 sown in the hotbed by March 1st if we wish 

 them to come into bloom early. They may 

 also be sown in the open ground, but in that 

 case their flowers are very late and only 

 reach their perfection with the coming of cold 

 weather. The most important of these are stocks 

 and snapdragons. If, when the little plants 

 are set out in the open ground in May, they 

 show a tendency to become stringy and form 

 only a few buds at the end of the stalk, they 

 should promptly be cut down. One need not be 

 alarmed at this process because almost in- 

 stantly the plant will send up a new and sturdy 

 growth. This weakness of the plants results 

 because either they were grown too thickly in 

 the hotbed or did not receive sufficient air. 



Heliotrope and ageratum are two other an- 

 nuals necessary in the garden because of their 

 color and prolific flowering. Ageratum is of 

 all blue flowers the freest bloomer. It is also 

 easy to raise and every seed seems to germ- 



90 



