ON ANNUALS AND BIENNIALS. 



245 



a distinct belt of lavender, bright crimson, violet, or rose'. Dwarf 

 Queen Asters, 9m. high, are of spreading growth, exceedingly 

 free-flowering, and very useful for cutting. These are the most 

 important kinds of China Asters grown in our gardens. Seeds 

 of each section may be obtained either in named varieties or in 

 choice mixtures, the latter producing plants of many beautiful 

 shades of colour. 



Balsams (Impatiens) are amongst the most showy of summer- 

 and autumn flowering half-hardy annuals, suitable either for filling 

 beds and borders, or for pot-plants. The seed should be sown 

 about the middle of March in sandy soil under glass, pricking 

 out the seedlings into thumb-pots when large enough, and removing 

 into larger sizes as required — never allowing them to become 

 pot-bound; they should be grown as near the light as possible, 

 and be gradually hardened off by removing to a frame about May, 

 finally planting out in the open during June. Balsams require 

 a lot of water, and if the supply is short, they will suffer 

 in consequence ; a sharp look-out must also be kept for 

 slugs and snails, or they will very soon play sad havoc amongst 

 these tender subjects. There are several sections of Balsams, 

 amongst which are the Camellia-flowered, with handsome double 

 flowers, resembling Camellias in form and in the arrangement 

 of the petals ; these grow i^ft. high, and may be procured 

 in several varieties. The Rose- and Carnation-flowered differ only 

 in the flowers, which resemble, more or less, those of the Rose 

 and Carnation respec- 

 tively. t There is also 

 a miniature Balsam, 

 growing only 9m. high, 

 suitable for pot-culture 

 and bedding. This, as 

 well as the kinds men- 

 tioned above, may be 

 obtained in many beau- 

 tiful varieties. 



Brachycome iberi- 

 difolia (Swan River 

 Daisy) (Fig. 134) is a 

 plant growing 9m. high, 

 flowering during sum- 

 mer and autumn, and 

 producing an abund- 

 ance of beautiful Cine- 

 raria-like blue flowers. It is admirably adapted for small beds, 

 edgings, and rockwork. A white variety is also grown. 



Browallia elata, lift., is often grown as a half-hardy 

 annual, and forms a charming plant for flowering in July and 



Fig. 134. — Brachycome iberidifolia. 



