The Flower-Garden ; 



CONTAINING DIRECTIONS FOR THE CULTIVATION OF ANNUAL, BIEN- 

 NIAL, AND PERENNIAL FLOWER-SEEDS. 



The interest which always pertains to annuals, and certain other kinds of 

 plants raised from seed sown every spring, renders it a matter of regret that they 

 are not grown to a greater extent than they are for the general decoration of the 

 flower-garden. 



" Infinite numbers, delicacies, smells, 

 With hues on hues. Expression cannot paint 

 The breath of Nature, and her endless bloom." 



The term " annual " is given to those plants which 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. — We have already remarked that 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 Junej 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 hotbed of stable-manure, which gives a gentle bottom- 

 heat quite 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 may be 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 

 manures, which are certain to injure the young plants. Level the surface by 

 gently 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 regu- 

 larly over the soil. Some kinds will need nothing more than a thin sprinkling of 



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