144 



PRACTICE OP GARDENING. 



however, are exceptions to this rule, as, in a rich soil, 

 they will expend all their strength in producing shoots 

 and leaves, and the flowers will be much larger and finer 

 if the plants are grown in a rather sterile soil. 



5. — Hardy Annual Flowering Plants. 



Annuals, as their name implies, exist only for one year, 

 and, having perfected their seed, perish. It is, however, 

 an interesting fact, that these plants never die (except from 

 casualties) till they have furnished the means of reproducing 

 their species, or, in other words, till they have ripened their 

 seeds ; and if the flowers are constantly plucked ofi" as they 

 decay, the plant will not perish unless it is killed by frost 

 or some other principle equally destructive. They are an 

 extremely interesting tribe, as they furnish the flower-beds 

 and borders with some attractive feature throughout the 

 whole of the summer months, and, in short, during the 

 whole period through which plants are capable of flowering 

 in the open air. Besides which, the flowers of most of 

 them are very showy and ornamental, and they vary in 

 height from a few inches to several feet ; their flowers are 

 also of the most extensive diversity of form and colour, are 

 usually produced in great profusion, and they are certainly 

 some of the most beautiful and delightful objectswhich are 

 known and cultivated in this country. From an almost 

 innumerable quantity of species, the following have been 

 selected as being some of the most ornamental, and the 

 most easily obtained ; and, if they are once purchased, or 

 procured from a friend, they maybe continued for an in- 

 cleflnite ^Deriod, by annually preserving their seeds. 



SELECT LIST OF HARDY ANNUAL FLOWERING PLANTS. 



From six inches to one foot high. 



Delicsite CEaothevsi (CEnothera tenella). Flowers in April. Purple. 

 Indian Pimpernel (Anagallis Indica). Fl. in May. Blue. 

 Yeuus's Looking-glass {PHsmatocarpus speculum). Fl. in May. 

 Purple. 



Large-flowered Collinsia {Collinsia grandiflora). Fl. in May. Blue. 

 Purple CEnotliera {(Enothera purpurea). Fl. in May. Purple. 

 Linear-leaved Collomia (Collomia linearis). Fl. in June. Red. 

 Smaller Indian Cress {Tropceolum minus). Fl. in June. Yellow. 

 Trailing CEnothera {CEnothera humifusa). Fl. in June. Purple. 



