Two splendid borders of Hardy Perennials. 
FLOWER SEEDS 
PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR 
CULTURE, TREATMENT, ETC. 
ANNUALS.— Strictly speaking "annuals" are plants which live but for one season, for general purposes however 
many other plants usually grown from seeds sown each year are placed under the same heading, being classed 
as hardy half-hardy, and tender annuals. While annuals are valuable to all who have outside planting to do, 
to the amateur gardener they are absolutely indispensable Being almost endless in variety, moderate in price, and easily 
grown from seeds, they will, if a judicious selection is made, give a gorgeous display of flowers in the garden, from early 
summer till late in the fall 
The usual season for sowing Annuals is from Ist of March to the first week of June. On account of the shortness 
of the season, it is advisable to sow a good many varieties as early in the season as possible, including Pansies Phlox 
Drummondi, Verbenas, Petunias, Stocks. Dianthus, and others of a comparatively slow growing character. Failing 
a greenhouse, for this purpose there is nothing to beat a good hot-bed. Or if it is out of the question, very good success 
can be had by sowing them in the house, in boxes filled with light sandy soil, giving all the light and air possible until 
such time as they can be placed out in the open air. 
Almost any kind of light soil will do for sowing annuals, and as the majority of them germinate freely, the seed 
should not be sown too thick. Neither should the plants in the beds or boxes be allowed to get over crowded; it is 
better to pull some of them out and throw them away, unless all are required; in which case they may be transplanted 
into other beds or boxes. As to the right depth to sow, the sower must be guided by the size of the seed. The smaller 
the seeds the less covering they will require. All plants raised under any form of shelter must be thoroughly hardened, 
by being exposed to the sun and air for at least several days before they are transferred to the open ground. 
The proper time for planting varies with the season, but they should never be put out too early. There is a 
popular notion, amounting almost to a superstition with some people, that if summer flowering plants are not set out 
by May 24th, it is useless to plant them at all. There never was a greater fallacy. Most of the failures in tender crops 
might be traced to too early sowing or planting. In nine seasons out of every ten, plants set out the first week m June 
will give far better results than those planted a week or ten days earlier. 
If annuals are to be sown in the open ground, no time should be lost in getting in the seeds, once the soil is warm 
enough to receive them. Among the varieties which do best sown this way are Sweet Peas, Portulaca. tall and dwarf 
Nasturtiums Convolvulus, Alyssum, Candytuft, Mignonette, and any other which from their nature are difficult to 
transplant successfully. These should all be sown in the places where they are to remain to flower, thinning the plants 
to the required distance apart, as soon as they are large enough to handle. 
Annuals as a class delight in an open, well enriched soil. Still no one need be deterred from attempting their 
cultivation, because he fancies his soil will fail to meet their exact requirements. Many varieties will grow and flower 
under the most adverse conditions, and many a plot of ground both in town and country, which up to the present has 
grown little else but weeds, might be made beautiful with this class of plants for a trifling amount of labour and expense. 
r>- 1 J Pprpnnialc may be sown at the same time as Annuals of the same degree of hardness and 
Pienniais ana rerenniai!, sim . ]arly except such of the hardy kinds as do not b i oom the fi r8t year. 
These last may be thinned out or removed from the seed beds as soon as they are well rooted and planted either in 
different parts of the garden, or into a nursery bed in rows a foot or more apart. Some Biennials and Perennials may 
be sown in July and August or as soon as the seeds are ripe, if the plants get strong enough before the setting in of winter, 
most of them will flower the next summer. 
