February, 1906 
the following: Aster, calliopsis, phlox Drum- 
mondii, petunia, sweet pea, ten week stock, 
balsam, scabiosa, morning glory, verbena, 
poppy and marigold. 
The above list includes the very best of 
our annuals, for the following reasons: “They 
bloom freely, and with comparative constancy 
are most of them useful for cutting, are all 
exceedingly attractive in color and habit, and 
are none of them sorts which require anything 
but ordinary treatment. Any amateur who 
properly prepares the soil for them and keeps 
the weeds from encroaching on their territory 
can grow them to perfection. 
If a greater variety is desired, the following 
could be added to the list: Mignonette, candy- 
tuft, sweet alyssum, ageratum,  celosia, 
portulaca, antirrhinum and nasturtium. I 
would not be understood as saying that the 
list, as extended, includes all desirable kinds. 
By no means. But it does include atl I would 
advise a beginner in gardening to experiment 
with, ard if half a dozen kinds from the list 
are selected for the first year the chances of 
success will be greatly increased. Concentrate 
your efforts, and set out with the intention 
of growing only a few at first, but growing 
these as well as they can be grown. Quality 
should always be considered as more important 
than quantity. 
What florist shall I patronize? I am often 
asked. ‘There are so many, and all claim to 
sell the best of everything, that the amateur is 
puzzled to decide between them. Patronize 
always a firm that has back of it a reputation 
for honorable dealing. Such a firm is not given 
to “blow its own horn” to any great extent. 
It does not need to do so. Its reputation makes 
this unnecessary. It will sell you the best seeds 
on the market because it handles nothing else, 
and it will sell them to you at reasonable 
prices. What it says about a plant you can 
depend on, for it never indulges in misrep- 
resentation. “The dealers whose seeds are like- 
liest to disappoint are those who use adjec- 
tives in the superlative degree only, and whose 
pictures of plants you have supposed yourself 
to be tolerably familiar with are startlingly 
unlike any you have ever seen, and who lay 
great stress on ‘novelties.’ Don’t waste your 
time, labor and money on these. Not one in 
fifty proves worth cultivation. If they have 
any merit it will be found out, and after that 
merit is proved you can add them to your list, 
if you desire to do so. But let some one else 
experiment with them. 
In selecting seeds I would advise getting 
packages in which each color is by itself. This 
is very important if you desire to carry out 
any particular scheme of color. ‘‘Mixed” 
seed makes such work impossible. Of course 
the former will cost you a little more, and 
you will probably get more seed than you 
have any use for, but you can very easily 
club with your neighbor, thus reducing ex- 
pense and preventing any waste. 
For the benefit of those who are not familiar 
enough with flowers to feel quite equal to the 
task of planning out combinations of them 
for next summer’s garden or arranging color 
schemes I will mention a few that can easily 
be made, and will prove very satisfactory. 
One of the prettiest is composed wholly of 
phlox Drummondii, in a circular bed. Plant 
the center with pink. Surround it with pale 
yellow. Then have a row of pink, and edge 
the bed with pure white. The effect will be 
delightful, as the colors will be in perfect har- 
mony, and there will be brilliance without any 
suggestion of coarseness. 
Or fill the center of the bed with calliop- 
sis. The effect of its rich yellow and orange 
flowers. in combination with the pink nal 
AMERICAN HOMES 
nN 
Sr 
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