How to Choose Annuals for Cutting— By Adolph Kruhm, <™ 



THE TEN MOST EASILY GROWN ANNUALS THAT GIVE FLOWERS WHICH LAST LONGEST IN WATER 

 WHEN CUT— WHAT THE HOUSEKEEPER WANTS TO KNOW IN PLANTING FOR INDOOR DECORATION 



ALL flowers may be divided into two 

 broad classes according to their use- 

 fulness; they are grown either to ornament 

 our gardens as growing plants or to beautify 

 the home when cut. The principal points 

 that should guide us in the selection 

 of varieties for either purpose are: for the 

 first, the length of their blooming season 

 outdoors; and for the second, the lasting 

 qualities of the flowers after being cut. 



In order to prove suitable for cutting, 

 flowers must possess one or all of the follow- 

 ing characteristics in a greater or less 

 degree: i. Long stems; 2. Harmon- 

 ious colors; 3. Pleasing shape and form; 

 4. Fragrance. 



Please note that the point usually em- 

 phasized most — fragrance — is really the 

 least important when it comes to the final 

 test. Of what use would be a fragrant 

 dandelion? It has none of the other most 

 essential characteristics. But look at the 

 aster — it presents the strongest kind of a 

 combination of the other three important 

 features and no one, on that account, 

 looks for a fragrant aster! 



Another desirable, though not essential 

 requisite of a cut flower, is its adaptability 

 for use with other flowers. It often 

 greatly handicaps an otherwise splendid 

 flower to be of unique color, especially 

 if that color is rather vivid. I have in 

 mind the only serious objection that 

 existed against the golden orange daisy, 

 Dimorphotheca. Its lustrous golden 

 orange flowers would not "blend" well 

 with anything but white, and if white 

 flowers of the proper character were lacking, 

 the finest lot of orange daisies w T ould go 

 begging. A great collection of Dimor- 

 photheca hybrids is now on hand to lessen 

 the difficulty. 



To be confronted with inquiries about 

 flowers for specific purposes soon creates 

 the tendency in one's mind to consider 

 definite standards. The classes and var- 

 ieties named below have come up to the 

 requirements of good cut flowers with 

 thousands of planters throughout this 

 country. Allowances must be made for 

 statements in the tabular record on ac- 

 count of variations in soil and climate 

 in different states; but the average holds 

 good, and I feel I may safely assert that, 

 all things considered, the amateur is 

 likely to get more satisfaction under 

 trying conditions out of the collection recom- 

 mended below than out of any other ten 

 easily grown annuals for cut flowers. 



Asters deservedly head the fist by 

 reason of their merit. Varieties considered 

 here are the Comet asters, Paeony Per- 

 fection and Branching asters. Of these, 

 the lastly named hold up longest after 

 being cut. However, the Comet asters 

 are the most graceful, and more free- 



flowering than either of the other two. 

 In every class is found a complete assort- 

 ment of colors, so that every taste may be 

 satisfied. The almost total crop-failure 

 of aster seeds in Europe should enable 

 us to become more intimately acquainted 

 with our magnificent American asters. 

 To help us over the loss abroad, quite a 

 number of most beautiful new creations 

 in asters will be found offered in seed cata- 

 logues this year. 



Celosias are included in this assortment 

 because of the massive character of their 

 flowers. They are useful to create effects 

 not obtainable with any other annual 

 flower. A single plant of the ostrich 

 plume type (the only one considered here) 

 will make a magnificent bouquet by 

 itself. Two or three, displayed in a large 

 vase will prove a very brilliant object, 

 They last for a week, if water is changed 

 several times. One sort named Pride of 

 Castle Gould, is excellently adapted for 

 growing in pots. 



The giant flowering sweet sultan, Cen- 

 taurea imperialis, I am tempted to call 

 an ideal annual for cutting. With a long 

 blooming season it combines unusually 

 free flowering qualities. The flowers are 

 of beautiful shape, run mostly in delicate 



light and lilac colors, and are carried on 

 substantial stems which are the delight 

 of the florist. Good keeping qualities 

 and a pleasing fragrance top off the good 

 characteristics of this improved member 

 of the cornflower family. For best effects, 

 centaureas should be displayed in con- 

 nection with other flowers which furnish 

 foliage or undergrowth. Try them com- 

 bined with baby's breath (Gypsophila), or 

 other flowers of a like character. 



The annual coreopsis (calliopsis) deserves 

 mention for two reasons: it blooms freely 

 and faithfully, and in the one known as 

 Drummondii we have about the only 

 really long-stemmed yellow annual avail- 

 able throughout summer and fall. Cal- 

 liopsis will prove most pleasing, displayed 

 by itself in tall, slender vases. The pretty 

 daisy-like flowers show charming combin- 

 ations of yellow and brown, both colors 

 being often found in the same flower. 

 Calliopsis lasts for a week or more after 

 cutting, even during the hot summer 

 months. 



When most other flowers have' forsaken 

 us, when the garden begins to look bleak 

 and dreary, and the chill of winter is in 

 the air — then the cosmos rules supreme. 

 It pleases us with beautiful flowers in 



Love-in-a-mist, a somewhat neglected plant, but always interesting. Blue flowers and finely cut leaves 

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