Farquhar's Annual Flower Seeds 



We mail all Flower Seeds postpaid to any post office in the United States 



Our Flower Seeds have a national reputation for fine quality, and we supply many large estates and public parks throughout the 

 country ^vith their annual requirements. It is our constant aim to add any new variety of merit, and many improved sorts are offered 

 in this catalogue. 



The plants in the following list ail bloom the first season from seeds. Many which are not annuals in the botanical 

 sense are included because they bloom the first season, and in culture and for garden purposes may be treated as annuals. 



The Annuals include a large portion of oin: most briUiantly colored summer flowers and are equally valuable to professional and 

 amateur gardeners. Few cultivators realize the vast possibilities they afford at a minimmn cost. They furnish ample material for cut- 

 flowers and garden beds, either in masses of color or for f ohage effects. A few of them, hke Asters, Poppies, Sweet Peas, and Nasturtiums, 

 are well known and largely used, but there are many beautiful species in the following hst which would be appreciated were they known. 



Culture. Ordinarily, excellent success may be had by sowing all Annuals in the beds where they are to flower. The hardier varieties, such 

 as Calendulas, Larkspurs, Centaureas, Poppies, and the hke, may be sown quite as early as the ground can be cultivated and brought into 

 proper condition. More tender things, such as Balsams, Masturtiums, African Marigolds, and Zinnias, are better planted about the same time 

 as corn, or when the ground is thoroughly warm. 



Prepare the ground carefully, taking special pains to make it 

 soft and fine on top, and sow the seeds in drills or broadcast, thin- 

 ning them when they come up so that they stand about half as far 

 apart as their maximum height. Thus, Zinnias, which may reach 

 3 feet, may be thinned to 18 inches apart, whUe Sweet Alyssum, 

 which grows only 6 inches, should stand 3 inches apart. It is always 

 better to have them too thick than too thin; but best effect is had 

 when plants have plenty of room to develop. 



Very fine seeds, like Petunias and Portulacas, should not be 

 covered with soil at all, but merely be pressed into the ground by 

 hand or a board. Such shallowly planted seeds are better if shaded 

 by papers, boards, or cloth untU they have germinated. Larger 

 seeds ought to be buried about four times their diameter, and it is 

 well to press the soil firmly above them and water them frequently 

 so they do not dry up. 



To have large plants of Annuals for early blooming or to replace 

 Tulips or other early bulbs, it is best to start them in shallow boxes 

 in che house or in the greenhouse. A coldframe or hotbed ■ndll do 

 equally well. The seeds may be sowed quite thicldy and the seed- 

 lings spaced out into other trays or frames as soon as they are large 

 enough to handle. Before setting them in their permanent quar- 

 ters, expose them to the weather several days to harden off. Do 

 not let them get too large in the trays before putting them into 

 the ground. Small, stocky seedlings are better than tall, leggy ones. 

 Have patience with seeds sown very early. May seems to be the 

 natural time for most seeds to germinate, and if sown earlier than 

 that they may take much longer to come up. In fact, seeds sown 

 outdoors in May frequently grow up and bloom as quickly as 

 those sown indoors in March. 



Some Annuals are very difficult to transplant. Among them 



Dwarf Blue Ageratum 



are Poppies of all kinds. Mignonette, and Salpiglossis, although the last wiU do very well if moved when very small. Almost all other Annuals 

 seem to be improved by transplanting, and some, such as Cosmos, Balsams, and Marigolds, may be moved when in full flower with considerable 

 success. The ground about the roots of newly planted Annuals should be kept firm, hut cultivation must not be neglected until they have so 



closed up the space that it is difficult to work between them. Plenty 

 of water and sunshine is all they need if the ground is fit to pro- 

 duce any kind of crop. 



504 



Pkt. 



ABRONIA umbeliata. Sand Verbena. A charm- 

 ing traihng plant with rose-colored flowers resem- 

 bling the verbena. It delights in a dry, poor soil 



and simny situations on rockwork. 6 in 



Moz. 40c.. $0 10 

 ADONIS aestivalis. Flos Adonis. A beautiful, free- 

 flowering annual with small crimson flowers. 1 ft . . 



Koz. 25c. . 10 



AGERATUM 



Half-hardy annuals. Useful for bedding, remaining in bloom 

 all summer. The taUer varieties are excellent for bouquets. Pkt. 



505 



White Fleece Alyssum. See page 45 



510 Tall Blue. Light blue. IM ft Moz. 40c. 



515 Tali White. IJ^ ft ^oz. 40c. . 



520 Blue Perfection. Dark; large. 1^ ft 



i/^oz. 75c. . 



525 Dwarf Blue. Dark blue. Habit very dwarf and 



compact. Fine bedding variety. 9in. . . 34oz. 85c. . 



530 Dwarf White. 9 in Moz. 60c. . 



540 Little Blue Star. A miniature variety with 



beautittful mauve-colored flowers. 5 in 



jVoz. $1.50.. 



15 

 15 



15 



15 

 10 



25 



44 



