April.] FLOWER-GARDEN. 353 
fully: from the seeds of the latter, especially, when growing neat 
the finest varieties, you may expect some good, and, perhaps, va- 
luable flowers. For this purpose, prepare a small bed of good 
rich ground, sow the seeds on the surface, tolerably thick, each sort 
separate, and sift over them about a quarter of an inch of fine light 
earth. If the weather should prove dry, water the beds occa- 
sionally, the plants will soon rise, after which, it will be necessary 
to keep them free from weeds, and refresh them now and then with 
a little water. For their further management, see the work of the 
following months. 
Sowing Perennial and Biennial Flower Seed&i 
You may now, with good success, sow the seeds of most kinds 
of perennial and biennial fibrous rooted flowers, that prosper in the 
open ground; such as those mentioned last month, in page 299, 
together with Monk's-hood, Nettle-leaved Campanala, Lobelias, 
Phloxes, Double Soapwort, Sneeze-wort, Goat*s-rue, and Red Gar- 
den Valerian; Crimson Monarda, Chinese Ixia, Verbascums, 
Night-smelling Rocket and Aletris, or star-root; Asclepiases, of 
various sorts. Calceolarias, Maryland Cassia, Clinopodiums and 
Coreopsises; Dracocephalums, Galega virginica, Gerardias, Cucu- 
balis, Hedysarums and Heucheras; Hibiscuses, Liatrises, Oeno- 
theras and Podalyrias; Penstemons Rudbeckias, Saxifragas, and 
Silphiums; Solidagoes, Spigelias, Spirseas, Chelone, Trilliums, 
and Veronicas, with many other kinds. 
These seeds may either be sown on borders, or on three or four 
feet wide beds, of rich earth, and covered evenly with fine light 
earth; the largest not more than from half to three quarters of an 
inch deep, and the smallest from an eighth to a quarter of an 
inch. 
But in sowing these or any other kinds, you may draw shallow 
drills, proportioning the depth, to the size of the seeds, and sow 
them therein, drawing the earth lightly over them; observing that 
it is much better to cover too light, than too deep; for, if covered 
shallow, they will vegetate when moist weather ensues, but if over- 
ly deep, never. Or you may practise the following method: first 
rake the surface of the bed smooth, and with the back of a rake, or 
a common trowel, draw or push off the fine top mould, either into 
the alleys, or the divisions intended to be left between each kind, 
and to a depth in proportion to the size of the seed intended to be 
sown in each space; then sow it on the surface, and cast the 
drawn off earth evenly over it, after which, pick or rake away 
the lumps with a fine rake, and pat the surface lightly and smooth, 
with the back of the trowel. 
Should dry weather ensue, it will be necessary to sprinkle the 
beds, frequently, with water, both before and after the plants ap- 
pear, and to be very particular in keeping them free from weeds. 
Some of the more delicate kinds when up, may not be able to bear 
the mid-day sun, whilst young, and will consequentlv, appear in 
27 
