ANNUALS 109 



and then feel not only regret but wonder when 

 the seedlings droop, wither and die. We at- 

 tribute the trouble to the seeds. But the simple 

 truth is, the fault is our own. We deliberately 

 precipitate a floral tragedy; we deceive the 

 plants ; lead them to believe that the alluring 

 surface conditions with which we provide them 

 extend to sufficient depth to accommodate their 

 roots, but when they reach out and down, hope- 

 fully and trustfully, they encounter stones and 

 clods and soil as hard as cement. Not even the 

 spade could penetrate it easily. The hot sun 

 bakes the surface soil, blisters the fine roots, 

 and, in the end, instead' of bloom and frag- 

 rance, we have a dismal bed of dead and dying 

 plants. 



The careful gardener provides against any 

 such catastrophe with his annuals by preparing 

 his beds with that thoroughness which alone 

 insures success. He realizes that it is better 

 to spend time and labor in the beginning and 

 to begin right than to exhaust patience later 

 and suffer disappointment as well. A poorly 

 made bed never produced a good flower, and 

 annuals, although quick in their growth, de- 

 mand proper rooting conditions if they are to 

 do their best. 



