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Arthur T. Boddington , 342 West 14th St.. New York Ci 



HARDY ANNUALS 



By W. H. Waite 



Annuals occupy a very important position in the flower-garden, and, with little care and small outlay, 

 quite an interesting show of flowers may be had. They have one great recommendation to those who 

 have not the facilities for the propagation and culture of bedding plants, which is that for a few cents 

 many seeds can be bought that will make the humblest garden gay for the greater part of the year : of 

 course, some little care must be given to their culture. Too often all the care given to the annuals is to 

 merely scratch the surface of the ground, scatter the seed, and expect a show of flowers. 



SOIL 



The ^oil best suited to the majority of annuals is a good deep sandy loam, deeply worked and well 

 enriched with rotted manure ; it should be dug in the fall to at least the depth of one foot, and left rough all 



winter to allow the frost to thoroughly pulverize it. 



TIME OF SOWING 



The time when the display of bloom is wanted 

 must, to some extent, be the guide as to the best time 

 to sow for instance, if required for fall display, the 

 end of May, or beginning of June, would be the proper 

 time to sow. If an earlier display is required, then they 

 may be sown as soon as the soil is in a proper condi- 

 tion ; as a general rule, about the end of April, or be- 

 ginning of May is about the proper time. 



SOWING 



Before sowing, the bed or border should be very < 

 carefully prepared. A fine pulverized surface is to be 

 desired, as most of the seeds are very fine ; therefore, 

 if the soil is at all lumpy, a poor germination will result. 



The seed may be sown in drills, or in circles ; small 

 seed should just be covered with fine soil, whilst larger 

 seeds, like the Nasturtiums and Four O'clocks, may be 

 covered with an inch of soil. 



THINNING 



This is a most important part in the culture of an- 

 nuals, too often neglected ; as soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, thinning should be done. 



The distance apart must be governed by the habit of the plant. Larkspur, for instance, which is an 

 upright grower, would stand a little closer than Candytuft, which has a spreading habit. Sufficient room 

 should be given for the proper development of each plant. It is not advisable, however, to thin out to the 

 full distance the first time, for many accidents may happen to the young plants ; as a general rule, the 

 plants should be thinned to a distance of from four to six inches the first time, and the second time accord- 

 ing to the size and strength of the plants. Care should be taken that the beds are kept clear of all weeds, 

 for if they are allowed to grow around the young seedlings, a weak and spindly growth will result ; the soil 

 should be kept constantly stirred with the hoe, which will keep down all weeds, and if the weather be dry, 

 will help to retain the moisture. 



To keep up a succession of bloom, and to prolong the season of floriferousness, all decayed blooms 

 should be regularly picked off— no seed-pods should be allowed to develop. 



In dry weather copious waterings may be given ; if watering is resorted to, the soaking must be 

 thorough. 



