ON THE CULTIVATION OF ANNUALS. 
19 
intended to be sown : cover the seed lightly with moist soil, and place an inverted 
flower pot over them (if convenient to do so) ; allow the pot to remain until the 
seeds have begun to grow, then prop it on one side two or three inches high, until 
the plants are able to bear the weather ; afterwards remove it altogether. Covering 
the seeds with a pot answers several good purposes : First, it keeps the soil moist 
until the seeds have vegetated. Second, the sun shining on the pot causes a 
reflection of considerable heat, and brings up the seeds much sooner than under 
other circumstances. Third, it screens them from the spring frosts. Fourth, it 
prevents the soil from being washed off the seeds, or the seeds themselves being 
washed away by heavy rains; and. Fifth, it preserves them from birds and mice. 
When the plants are about an inch high, they must be thinned out according to the 
kind, that those remaining may be able to grow and flower strong : the height the 
plants grow must also guide the person as to what part of the border they ought to 
occupy, which (where the selection is choice) may be known by referring to the 
list annexed. If sown successively through the summer, there will be a constant 
supply of flowers, till the autumnal frosts kill them. In mild winters they may be 
kept till towards Christmas, staking, tying, and occasionally stirring the soil; and 
in dry summers gentle watering in an evening, is then all that is necessary. 
Treatment of half-hardy annuals. — These require to be raised in 
a hot-bed, and when an inch or two high transplanted in pots, and placed where 
they will receive abundance of air, and be protected from frosts. If a frame could be 
spared it would be preferable to pots, for transplanting them in ; and if the frame be 
placed upon a declining hot-bed, which would communicate a little heat, it would 
be very beneficial to them, taking care to give plenty of air and moderate waterings. 
But if the season is so far advanced that all danger of spring frosts is gone, they 
may be transplanted where they are intended to flower. 
The bed for raising the plants should be about two feet thick in front, and two 
feet six inches at the back ; beat it down pretty level with a fork, but do not 
trample it, set on the frame, cover it with lights, and allow it to stand three days to 
settle, then level it properly, and lay on about four inches thick of soil, composed of 
two-thirds of light sandy loam, and one-third of leaf mould well beaten together, 
but not sifted ; rake the surface smooth and level, and with the hand draw some 
shallow drills about three inches apart ; then thinly scatter the seeds of each sort 
in the drills, and cover them lightly over with some finely sifted soil, being cautious 
not to cover them too deep, or they will be liable to perish. Some of the half- 
hardy sorts will flower early in the spring, if sown in pots the preceding autumn ; 
amongst these may be named the varieties of ten-week stocks, the different species 
of Schizanthus, China asters , Tsotoma axillaris , &c. : the latter should be sown in 
forty-eight sized pots, in September, or as soon as the seeds are properly ripe. 
Protect them during winter in a dry frame, and keep them clean and free from 
dampness ; these will come into flower about the end of May. The different species 
of Schizanthus must be treated in a similar manner ; these, however, with the 
exception of S. pinnatus, are not very free at producing seeds, unless some pollen 
