Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-04-19
hCMMER FLOWERS.
FOW TO HAVE THEM EARLY-N PRAISE OF SWEET
fEAS ASfkRS AND OTHER COMMON ANNUALS.

EoN ~ hAVh THEM EAKLY-IN PRAISE OF SWINE,
fEAS ASfkRS AND OTHER COMMON ANNUAIS.
From Springfield (Mass) Repabli,an
At this season OF the year the florists seed
catalogues are sought for by all lovers Of beau
THU flow erS who do NOT nnSses5 the means oil
purchasing quantities Of bedding out plants t.
adoFn thes gardens; and the h III hardy annu ais
win oI'rn prove quite as ornamental as the
more 1ehl -prt ed geranums, fnchsias, etc. But
TO oo'aili n COED show nr plants early In the
season, tie seeds should be started under
glass, or in boxes placed in the kitchen win
doWs. Take shallow boxes, like those in which
SMYRNA hgs are imported, and fill them with
any SOIL mat Is at hand. mixing IL nearly with
haf sand so as to make 1t light and warm. 1t
L netter II 1t Is baked In the oven In an old pan
IS the heat will kill all the seeds OF weeds and
larN;e II worms. When cool enough TO plant
sill with water. Then sprinkle the seeds,
Eo' TOO thtckly, on the top OF the soil, and
press the m in gently with the f1agers. taking
great cane not to bury the tiny seeds-such as
they Will often decay, because they have not
sufficient STRENGTH to push through. very
Slight Scat' er OF sand will be all the covering
'hey will require. Nlsturtiums. balsams and
seeds or similar size can be planted half an
inch In depth; but sweet peas Will blossom
much 'onger If planted like garden pet ~, from
Two To three inches I'm depth. and they always
seem 10 b O0m much handSomer when nianted
n rows Ill the vegetable garden than Ia sfn I'll
cicies or patches in the flower garden They
are "a indispensable for cut flowers in June rs
green peas aie for the table and ii their first
o oSSrrnS are gathered and none allowed to 81
10 sted, the9 will continue to flower and per
rune the air with their exquisite fragrance
until frost For he'd yes between a flower ana
Ve@etaDie garden they are very ornamental
aud Will also prove an excellent screen TO hide
an! disagIeeable object. AS they are quite as
Marcy as garden peas, they can be planted as
So IS the frost is out of the ground, and in six
weeks. il the season is favorable. you can
gather the bright consummate flower.
among Inc haif- hardy ANIMALS the various
KINDS CfaSterS take the first rank. their great
diversity OF color and beautiful form making
them faFoftes with all florists But If early
noWersare desired, you must plant the seed at
once and the plants VIII be OF good size when
tie garden beds are ready for them Asters
EeSetaie very easily, the seeds often SprOutfny
IN thTee Gays and as the roots are fbrous, aud
grow compactly. they are much more easily
transplanted than the tap-rooted plants, SUCH
as iarkSpurs and sweet peas. and If you choose
a cloudy day in May for the work, or plant
til after sunset. when it has been raining,
the plants Will not wlther. The soil for the
astelS should be made very rich with comDost5
as their roots demand the choicest OF plant food
10 produce the finest OF fiOwerS-and when the
pudS appear, liquid manure applied twice
week VIII increase their beauty tenfold. OF
late years the florists have paid great attention
TO the size and color1ng OF these flowers, and
lection and in numerous varieties Cocarde III
or crown asters are very beautiful, and differ
essentially from all other kinds, the center of
the flowers being pure white while the margin
may oe either pink, crimson. lilac or purple
Inc NaShtng on aster has larger flowers than
any other variety, and the plants are very
vigorous. The dwarf bouquet varieties make
very beautiful! edglngs to beds of var1egated
plants and the latest variety, the Schiller, is a
very abundant boomer, compact In habit and
flowers, until the frost kills IL. A bed OF asters
arranged with the tallest varieties in the center
ana graduated down to the dwarf Schiller or
Chr! SAINT 'emum aster. will make as fine a show
In bed OF ge.anums, while the cost OF the
plants Will be very trifiiDg.
0an a1, 1nnv DO 1T
II they are trimmed OF superfluous branches
and trained On ne stem or three. Thus trained
the no" ers will be very much larger, and the
ST TENS " Ill be thckly covered with them. "A
they are tender ANIMALS the seeds should he
sOWn early In April, and after they have the
st cond il avt they should be tranSplanted into
BOXES two or three inches apart, and not Sc
out until all danger of frost Is past. Trained
with three branches the baisam can be made
very decorative as house plant, and II all the
SEED p ds are nfpped of, it will bloom for six
MOI tbs at least.
II bed Of ornamental foliaged plants ia de-
sired from ANIMALS, the seeds should be sown
as early In the month as is practicable and
!, lansp!ahted late in May. Castor-oil bean Can
VIII be sufficient Il the soil Is made so rich that
1t will grow rapidly. Around it place half a
dozen plants OF aramanthus tri-color. For the
next row, plant euphorlia marginata or green
and white foliage, 1T is very snowy when
mingled with the darker foliaged plants. It is
a native OF Colorado, called by the Indians
plant and has been cultivated for the last forty
years; but Of late it has not received the atJen-
ton 1t deserves. The outer row OF this varie-
ga ed bed can be planted with golden feather
IT the yellow leaved feverfew, which has been
so much used for mingling with the bright
leavef coeus. From PACKET OF seeds at least
loe plants can be raised, and they will not cost
as much as one plant OF coleus.
The Japan cOrkScOmbS are also ornamental,
for tie garden, the feathery celosia making a
line show, The seeds are very tiny, and must
De planted ard WateTed carefully. It needs
light but rich soil 10 grow in perfection, and
1t Is wen adapted for the house or window gar
den as 1t Is very suitable for b0Quets and vases
81 flowers. Ten weeks stocks are old-fashioned
and the German florists have lately produced
fine varieties, as exquisite In their colorlny as
N fragrance Frequent transplantings are
neede 10 Increase the stockiness Of the plants,
80 IT is we'll to SOW the seeds quite early
and as the second leaves unfold trA1s.
plant into box and then into the garden
rich, moist soil is needed to produce the
In any garden soil after they have been well
started, and they are very hardy, poisoning
" hen nearly all the other flowers are dead
select the most expensive varieties II you wish
the handsomest plants, and IL is very poor econ
Omy to buy the cheaper varieties. 1t Is also
Leedfnl to plant them so that their roots can
have plenty OF room and not become starved for
want Of food. Asters need inches OF soil, bal
sans at least 10 inches, and ten weeks stocks
The same space as the balsams. Transplant
them in beds by themselves, or In rows but
leave the same distance each way. When the
sun shines scorchingly hot In July a little mulch
OF stable litter Will give their roots desirable
: hade. The different varieties OF ANNALS are
almost numberless, but among the indispensa-
bles one would class candytuft, sweet alyssum,
brOwallia, ageratuln, convOlvOluS, centranthuJ,
cite, naSturtium, pansieS, petuniaS. phlOX sal
piglossis, saponaria, sweet peas, viscaria, zin-
MAS.