16 



ANNUAL FLOWER SEEDS. 



a full spit deep, pulverising every particle. If the 

 ground could be dug to a great depth at the clearing 

 up of winter, and then again at the period of sowing 

 the seed, it will be an advantage. 



All kinds of annual Flower seeds may be sown in 

 the month of April and May, on borders or beds of 

 clean light earth ; the beds should be levelled, and the 

 seeds sown either in small patches, each kind by itself, 

 or in drills from a quarter to half an inch deep, accord- 

 ing to the size or nature of the seed. Lupins, Peas, 

 &c. should be planted nearly an inch deep. Those 

 who would have their plants to flower early, should 

 sow the hardy kinds the last week in March, or early 

 in April, the most tender (which are marked §) may 

 be sown in boxes or pots of light earth at the same 

 time. These, if exposed to the sun every day, and 

 sheltered in cold nights, will be forwarded in growth, 

 and be fit to transplant early in June. Those marked *, 

 may also be sown in small pots. As these plants do 

 not well bear transplanting, they should be turned out 

 of the pots with the balls of earth entire, and placed in 

 the* ground where they are intended to flower; or if 

 the seed be sown in a bed with other kinds, they should 

 be carefully transplanted with a trowel, without dis- 

 turbing their roots. The most eligible way to obtain 

 early flowers, is to prepare a slight hot-bed for the 

 tender kinds, and either to plunge the pots therein up 

 to their brims, or to sow the seed in the earth in shallow 

 drills, not more than a quarter of an inch deep. It 

 may be necessary here to observe, that in favourable 

 §easons> flower seed in general will come up in from 



