A FEW BRIEF HINTS ON THE SOWING AND CULTIVATION 
OF 
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Plants are generally known and described as Annuals, 
Biennials and Perennials. 
The term "annual" is given to those plants whieh are sown in the spring, bloom 
and seed in the summer, and afterwards perish. By cultivators they have been 
divided into classes ; viz., Hardy and Half-hardy; and as such we shall treat of 
them here. 
HARDY ANNUALS are so called because they do not require any artificial 
heat at any period of their growth, and are capable of enduring any ordinary 
weather from May to November. Many of them may be sown in the autumn ; 
and the young plants will make their appearance early in spring, and flower 
stronger than when the sowing is deferred till spring. 
HALF-HARDY ANNUALS are those that require the aid of artificial heat to 
assist germination ; but it should be remarked that this is not absolutely necessary 
if the sowing is deferred until the ground is warm — say the last of May, or first 
of June. But to gain time, and insure an early and abundant bloom, it is best 
to plant early, and assist the growth by a gentle artificial heat. Some of the most 
magnificent annuals are embraced in this class, of which the Asters, Zinnias, 
Stocks, Antirrhinums, and Balsams are examples. The most convenient and the 
simplest mode of doing this is the ordinary hot-bed of stable manure, which gives 
a gentle bottom-heat qui<e sufficient for any of this class. Its construction is 
simple, and generally understood by most owners of a garden; it is so valuable 
an aid in the forwarding of flowers, as well as vegetables, that no one having 
a garden can well dispense with it. 
Presuming that the bed is made and all ready for use, the seeds maybe sown on 
the prepared soil, just the same as in the open ground, and afterwards trans- 
planted to the borders. The soil should consist of a uniform compost of light 
sandy loam, enriched with some fine leaf -mould, avoiding any raw or crude man- 
ures, which are certain to injure the young plants. Level the surface by gentle 
pressing it with a piece of wood made for the purpose, as this will not only be 
beneficial to the seeds, but assist in distributing them more evenly and regularly 
over the soil. Some kinds will need nothing more than a thin sprinkling of earth 
just to fairly cover the seeds, and should have the surface again gently pressed 
down ; a slight watering with a very fine rose watering-pot will complete the 
operation of sowing. 
As the seedlings appear above ground, give air by tilting the sashes at the back. 
During cold nights, a mat may be thrown over the frame, which will prevent the 
loss of heat, and maintain a more even temperature. As the plants acquire a 
proper size, they should be thinned out so as not to injure those that remain ; 
and then, when farther advanced, should be transplanted into four inch pots, — 
one, three, or five plants in each, according to the variety, — using a compost sim- 
ilar to that in whieh they were sown, replacing the pots in the bed, and shading 
slightly till they are weli established, and able to bear the full sun. 
