ANNUAL FLOWERS. 
149 
or more, as is necessary in the usual way; and the 
plants are less exposed to the spring frosts, and the 
soil is not washed off by heavy rains. 
Treatment of Half Hardy and Tender Annu¬ 
als. —The seeds of the half hardy annuals, may he 
sown in May, as directed for the hardy ones, as the 
weather will then be warm enough for their vegeta¬ 
tion, and the growth of the plants. The tender 
annuals, to have them flower early in summer must be 
brought forward in a hot-bed, which should be made 
by the end of March or beginning of April; for which 
purpose prepare some hot horse manure, by throwing 
it up in a heap to let the -rank steam pass off, which 
it will do in a few d>ays ; then mark out the dimen¬ 
sions of your bed, (letting it be a few inches each 
way larger than your frame,) form the manure into 
a square mass, beat it well down with the fork, but 
do not trample it till it is about two feet high, then 
set on your frame, and lay on about four inches depth 
of soil, composed of two-thirds sandy loam, and one 
third of thoroughly decayed manure; then cover it 
with a sash, and let it stand three days after to settle ; 
after which level it properly, and rake the surface 
smooth, then with the hand draw some shallow drills 
about three inches apart, and thinly scatter the seeds 
of each sort in the drills, covering them lightly over 
with some fine sifted soil. The quantity of seed sown 
will probably ,not occupy all the frame, and the whole 
of it will be wanted for transplanting in about three 
weeks. After the seed is sown, it will be necessary to 
admit air by tilting the back part of the sash in the 
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