148 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[May, 
Annuals for the Flower Garden. 
Any plant which perfects itself within a year 
from the time it is sown, is an “ annual'' though 
the term is especially applied to those ornament¬ 
al plants which have this peculiarity. These, 
though lasting hut a season, comprise many of 
our most desirable flowers. Some of them grow 
with the greatest ease, while others require 
much care and attention. The hardy annuals, 
once sown, will perpetuate themselves without 
further care. The ripened seed drops, and re¬ 
mains in the ground over Winter, giving earlier 
and stronger plants than are produced 
from seed sown in the Spring. Among 
these hardy annuals which will grow 
from self sown seeds are: Larkspurs, 
Mig nonctte, Sweet Alyssum, Candytuft, 
Portulaccas, Gilias, Whitlavia, etc. The 
half hardy annuals, such as Balsams, 
Phlox Drummondii, China Asters, Clark- 
ias, etc., may be sown in the open ground 
in April or early in May, while the tender 
annuals should not be sown in the open 
ground until the last of May or the first 
week in June. To have them early they 
may be started in the house in pots or 
boxes, or in a hot-bed. Many persons 
fail in raising annuals, from sowing the 
tender kinds too early, and from covering 
the seed too deeply. The seed is to be 
sown—not buried. Having prepared the 
ground by spading in well rotted manure, 
and thoroughly pulverizing and raking, 
mark out with the finger, or a pointed 
stick, the form to be sown, scatter the 
seed thinly in the scratch thus made, 
and cover lightly by drawing a little 
earth over it with the hand. Poppies, 
Bartonias and some others should be 
sown were they are to flower, but most 
plants will bear transplanting and do all 
the better for it. Single flowers should not 
improved within a few years; 
and only the finer kinds 
should be cultivated. The 
number of annuals is so large, 
and individual tastes differ so 
much in making a selection, 
that we only call attention to 
a few of those of decided 
merit, but which, though well 
known by amateurs, are not 
generally distributed through¬ 
out the country. We give 
engravings of a few of the 
newer sorts which have been 
tested. Each year a number 
of varieties are introduced 
with glowing descriptions of 
their beauty, and are often 
found, on trial, to be inferior 
to our old sorts. Having ex¬ 
pended much money in try¬ 
ing novelties, we would ad¬ 
vise our friends of moderate 
means to sow only those an¬ 
nuals which have been tested 
and found worthy of culture. 
Whitlavia grandiflora. —This is 
a native of California; grows 
from 12 to 18 inches high, and 
bears a profusion of blue, bell-shaped flowers. 
It does best in a poor soil and is perfectly hardy. 
Clintonia pulchella. —A beautiful little tender 
annual, suitable for vases or hanging baskets; 
flowers blue, yellow, and white. The seeds are 
very small and should be very lightly covered. 
We give the name Clintonia, because that is the 
one by which it is known among seedsmen and 
florists. The proper name is Downingia, in me¬ 
mory of the late A. J. Downing. The name 
Clintonia belongs to one of our native plants. 
Clarkias. — These are half hardy California 
annuals. Several species and varieties are in 
Fig. 3. —CLARKIA rULCHELLA—DOUBLE. 
be tolerated where double varieties of the same I cultivation as C. marginala , pulchella, elegans, etc. 
kind are grown, as they will mix, and the I The double C. pulchella (fig. 2) is a rich rose color 
seeds from them will be inferior. The old favor- and very pretty. They all do well in a poor soil, 
ites, like Balsams, Asters, and many others will Rhodanthe Manglesii .—This has been for some 
always be popular. They have been very much I time in cultivation. It is tender;‘from 12 to 18 
inches high, with beautiful star shaped flowers, 
of a pure rose color. The flowers, being upon 
a delicate stem, droop so as only to show the 
under side, which is of a silvery gray. It be¬ 
longs to a group, called “ everlasting flowers.” 
If taken off when they first open, they will re- 
Fig. 3. —CALLERRHOE PEDATA. 
tain their beauty for several years. They are 
desirable for winter bouquets. A new variety, 
R. maculata was introduced last year; it is larger 
than R. Manglesii and has a dark spot at the base 
of the ray florets. Both require a rich soil. 
Acroclinium roseum. — Another “everlasting 
flower,” and every way desirable. There are 
three varieties ; white, rose, and deep rose. 
The plant is tender, and should have rich soil. 
Callirrhoe pedata (fig. 3.)—Oue of the mallow 
family, from Texas, one of the best of the new an¬ 
nuals. Flowers, rich purple with a white centre. 
In good soil, and with proper cultivation, it will' 
grow three feet high and flower for a long time. 
Centranthus macrosiphon. —This is one of the 
annuals which look well in masses; grows about 
a foot high and is covered with clusters of pink 
flowers. A white flowered variety is very 
pretty. The two may be massed together. 
Salpiglossis. — The different varieties of this 
should be in every collection. They should be 
started early and then planted in a rich spot. 
Schizanthus pinnatus, Priestii, and others are 
half hardy and of great beauty. They grow 
about 18 inches high, and are covered with deli¬ 
cate white, rose,violet, and other colored flowers. 
Zinnia elegans — double flowered (fig. 1).—It 
limited to but one annual, we should grow the 
double Zinnia. Next to the Dahlia it is the 
showiest plant in the garden. We have seen 
them quite as double and almost as large as the 
Dahlia. To keep them in perfection none but 
plants having double flowers should be allowed 
to grow. Select the best of such for seed. 
We have often purchased seed from the most 
reliable dealers, warranted double, and not one 
plant out of a dozen would grow double. Our 
experience is, that seeds from double flowers 
will produce single plants, unless the soil be 
very good, and the weather favorable. Seed 
sown one year, grew mostly single, coarse flow¬ 
ers ; the next year some of the same lot of seed , on 
