148 FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS. 



on the state of the plants. Choose mild quiet weather if 

 possible, but above all things have the plants stubby and 

 strong, and of a healthy green colour, as the result of tbe 

 access to them of abundant light and air. If you must 

 plant during dry sunny weather, you have but to shade 

 and water them carefully, and take care that the plants do 

 not suffer any serious check. 



There are two so-called species of zinnia that occasionally 

 obtain attention — namely, the Z. grancliflora and Z. fenui-. 

 folia; but as ornamental plants they are of no particular 

 value, and it does not appear to the writer hereof that they 

 are ugly enough to please the botanist — the reader being 

 of course aware that, by a bit of harmless irony, the florists 

 hand over to the botanists all the ugly and unmanageable 

 plants that they have resolved to exclude from their gardens. 

 But of the veritable Zinnia elegans there are innumerable 

 varieties, single and double, and all are good; but the crim- 

 sons and scarlets, of all amongst our annual flowers, are 

 the best, the yellows and purples come next in merit, and 

 the whites must rank lowest of all. 



