58 



ladies' flower gardener. 



left to flourish where they are sown. The large kinds, such as 

 the lavatera or mallow, should only he sown in groups of three 

 plants together. The lupin tribe should not exceed five plants in 

 a group. The Convolvulus, also, requires four or five plants only 

 in a group. Water the patches in dry weather moderately, and 

 be careful never to use pump water. If you have no soft water, 

 a tub should be placed in the garden to receive rain water ; and 

 if, as in towns, pump water must be chiefly used, let it remain a 

 day or two in the tub, to soften in the air and sunshine. 



The first week in April is the safest period for sowing annuals, 

 as the cutting winds have ceased by that time, and frost is not so 

 much to be apprehended. The soft rains, also, fall in warm 

 showers, to give life and germ to seeds and plants, and they 

 appear in a shorter space of time. 



Those ladies who live in the vicinity of nursery gardens have a 

 great advantage over the more remote flower-fanciers. They can 

 be supplied, at a trifling expense, with all the tender annuals 

 from hot-beds, either in pots, or drawn ready for immediate 

 transplanting. 



If you do not raise your own seed, be careful how you pur- 

 chase your stock, and of whom you receive it. Many seedsmen 

 sell the refuse of many years' stock to their youthful customers, 

 and produce great disappointment. There is one way of ascer- 

 taining the goodness of the seed, which will not deceive. Pre- 

 vious to sowing, plunge your lupin, sunflower, &c, seeds into a 

 tumbler of water : the good seed will sink, while the light and 

 useless part remains floating on the surface. 



If you grow your own seed, exchange it every two years with 

 your neighbors. Seeds love change of soil : they degenerate, 

 if repeatedly grown and sown upon the same spot, particularly 

 sweet-peas. 



Sweet-peas should be put into the ground early in March, for 



