Cannell & Sons’ Complete Seed Guide. 
-^-GARDEN ANNUALS 
o- ■ 
These are all beautiful, and some lovely. Many who bay and sow them never see their full beauty. Why? Simply because they have never had the 
following secrets of sowing and growing put plainly before them for their guidance. 
first, — The situation must be open, free from shade, roots of trees and shrubs, &c., &c. It is astonishing how thick and far thase roots extend, taking 
every bit of moisture and goodness out of the gropnd ; the soil should be dug deeply, and if very poor, moderately manured; this done, it is no matter 
whether the seed is sown by making an indentation in the soil half-an-inch deep with the edge of a bit of wood, or rim of a pot, or any other contrivance. 
The 6eed must be covered with fine soil — the smaller the seed the finer and thinner the soil. Usually they come up like mustard and cress, and the thick 
green growth looks nice and cheerful. Now, the most remarkable part of the business for amateurs to understand — and understand they must — is to have 
nerve enough to puli nearly (ill of them np, almost in the same way as picking the feathers off fowls. The stumps, as it wore, are almost enough to produce 
a crop, hut more would be got out of the quarter left than if they were originally untouched. Such is a factl We linve only to look at the seed bed of 
Wallflowers, Sweet Williams, Cabbage, and Brussels Sprouts, and ask ourselves the question, and the secret presents itself plainly. Nearly all the annuals 
are better for being thinned or transplanted, if done at the proper time and in favourable weather ; but to get at the exact distances, you really want to 
know to what size the plant attains w'hen flowering. For instance, Virginia Stock, Nemophila, and snch like varieties, 1 to 2 inches apart; Mignonette, 
Dianthus, Candytuft, C inches; Canterbury Bells aud Marigolds, 1 foot; and so ascertain the size generally attained of any plants, and leave room 
accordingly; and it will be surprising how well you will succeed by letting them have sufficient room to develop their proper individual proportions, if not 
they are poor and puny, and in and out of bloom in short time. Tbps ill is spoken of the plants, and the seedsman who supplied them, 
* ( 50 r ) 
