ANNUALS AND BIENNIALS ^3 



treating them in precisely similar way to autumn-sown 

 annuals, we shall save ourselves much difficulty and 

 confusion, and with reasonable care an abundance of 

 strong, healthy plants should be available for filling up 

 vacant spaces during late autumn and spring, Certain 

 flowers, although not strictly biennials, are best treated 

 as such, among them being the Pansies, Violas, Holly- 

 hocks, Sweet Williams, and Chimney Campanulas. 

 These do not die after the second season in the manner 

 of true biennials, but as the quality of their bloom 

 deteriorates so greatly and general unhealthiness is the 

 usual accompaniment of later years, it is best to con- 

 stantly renew the stock of plants by fresh sowings. 



The great point to be observed in growing both 

 annuals and biennials is to practise early and rigorous 

 thinning. It is almost impossible to convince some 

 people that one well-grown plant is worth a dozen 

 starved and overcrowded specimens, or that, given 

 plenty of space and rich soil, individuals are capable of 

 developing into size and luxuriance equal, if not exceed- 

 ing, that of many herbaceous perennials. Much of the 

 prejudice against these short-lived plants has arisen from 

 the poor ways in which they have been grown, and the 

 feeble habit they have in consequence attained. We 

 have only to notice a single plant of Mignonette, which 

 has been perhaps overlooked and allowed to grow away 

 in isolation in a rich kitchen garden border, to realise 

 the splendid capabilities of many similar flowers. Plants 

 which in overcrowded beds scarcely grow more than a 

 few inches in height, if given all the room they ask, will 

 surprise us by their strength and beauty. The fact 

 that seed of most varieties is cheap and plentiful should 

 enable us to thin out and discard young plants without 

 thought of extravagance. 



As to the best ways in which annual and biennial 

 plants may be used at various seasons, we should 



