ON ANNUALS. 
BY MR. R. PLANT, OF PADHOLME NURSERY, PETERBOROUGH, 
(Continued from p. 46 .) 
Tender Annuals, as a class, are numerically deficient; yet 
the deficiency of numbers is fully made up by their resplendent 
beauty, and the great inclination exhibited to throw off varieties, 
or sport, as it is technically termed. Nowhere is the hand of the 
experimental and consequently superior cultivator more plainly 
seen than in the class of plants denominated Annuals. If we 
examine any of the very old gardening works, the tender annuals 
will be found to equal in number the half-hardy, or nearly so ; but 
how very different is the case now! By the safe conduct and 
example of spirited experimentalists, we place in the open air, to 
attain a robust growth, those plants which, a few years back, were 
considered difficult to grow, as being too tender to bear a breath 
of wind ; and difficult they certainly were, simply because the 
treatment applied was not proper. The term tender must be 
strictly confined to those annuals which, on trial, are found to 
attain their proper growth—that is, the most luxuriant, accom¬ 
panied with the greatest number of flowers—only by and with the 
aid of artificial heat under glass. Now, some of these do some¬ 
times find their way into the open air, yet it must be confessed 
the appearance they make is very near the ridiculous, and ever 
such a novice in the art would immediately conclude they were 
not in their proper places. To grow tender annuals the aid of 
glass is absolutely necessary, together with artificial heat produced 
by fermenting materials ; and these must be exactly of the proper 
description, or perfection, either in the growth or flowering, will 
not be attained. 
The principal among tender annuals is the Balsam. The first 
sowing should be made in March, either early or late, as it may 
be desired to have them bloom ; and a second about a month after 
the first: two sowings are generally sufficient, from the length of 
time the plants continue in bloom. The seed should be chosen 
from some that are two or three years old, selecting the largest; 
sow them thinly in some very rich mould, and, as soon as they 
are from an inch to two inches high, transplant them singly into 
, small pots (60’s), using the same kind of rich mould—~mould from 
