112 
CULTIVATION OF ANNUALS. 
Here they may be allowed to remain until the spring frosts are 
over, exposing them gradually until they are inured to the open air; 
then take them up with good balls, and plant them in their proper 
situations in the flower borders. 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, and the Isotoma axillaris. 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 be shook on the stigmas, when in bloom. 
Ten-week stocks may be sown at the same time, and treated after 
the same manner. It is not advisable to transplant any of them at 
this season of the year; sow but a small quantity in each pot, and 
when about half an inch high, thin out all the weakest; for it often 
happens, when transplanted at this time, they are never able to make 
good roots again; and during the dark months of November and 
December, are almost sure to perish. When they are grown about 
two inches high, remove a little of the soil from the top, and give 
them a shallow top-dressing; this will be sufficient until the follow¬ 
ing March, when they should be shifted into thirty-two sized pots 
without disturbing the roots; in May, turn them out into the bor¬ 
ders with the balls entire; part, however, may be kept to flower in 
pots, if thought well, and some more may be sown in pots to succeed 
them at the general sowing in March. The spring sown ten-week 
stocks also are much forwarded, if transplanted in pots, and after¬ 
wards turned into the borders. Calceolarias do best when trans¬ 
planted singly into sixty-sized pots, and turned out at the same time 
as the stocks. 
Treatment of Tender Annuals .--These are sown in pots in Fe¬ 
bruary or March, and plunged in a hot-bed, when they are up and 
have attained one or two proper leaves, they should be pricked out 
into thimble pots, filled with the compost mentioned in the begin¬ 
ning of this paper ; as they advance in growth, remove them into 
larger sized pots, until they begin to show blossom, when they may 
be removed to the houses appointed to receive them. They are di¬ 
vided into two sections 1st. those which require a powerful heat 
to make them flower to high perfection, called stove annuals; and 
2nd. such as will flower to perfection with a much less beat, called 
green-house annuals. 
