The National tribune., 1884-03-20
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
ANNALS FOR THE FLOWER GARDEN.

ANIMALS FOR THE FLOWER GARDEN.
Since the intrpduction of what are known as
foliage plants "a very absurd name, as most
plants have foliage,l together with the fashion
able system OF making beds of one kind of
plant, the Towering ANIMALS have been greatly
neglected. And yet, we do not know OF any
easier or more economical method of furnish
ing a garden with profasiou of flowers during
the greater portion OF the summer than by SOW
ing good selection of ANNALS
Every person contemplating the purchase of
seeds may easily procure catalogue but these
so full of good things that it becomes
matter of some difficulty to discriminate among
so mitch that is meritorious With the view of
assisting those who may not have much expo
rience, and have not decided as to what they
will purchase, we offer few selections for their
guidance. Among the best Towering ANIMALS
of easy culture the following may be enumer-
ated: Asters, balsams, mignonette, sweet alys-
sum, portulaca, petunias, marigoids znnias,
larkspurs, Drummond phlox, peoples, sweet
peas clarkias, nemophilas, China pinks princes
feather and other high-colored amarantuses,
nierembergia, and for effective plants, regard
less OF Snowy flowers, cannas and castor beans.
five or ten-cent packet of each of the above
will give much satisfaction In the way of flow
ers Where rapid growing ANIMALS are needed
to cover arbors or trellis-work, the following
will be found suitable: Morning glories cobaa
scandens, canary bird flower balloon vine,
lophospermum, maurandia, thunbergia, eeere-
mocarpus, and various tropeolums.
A class of Towering plants known as ever
hastings, or immortelIes, are not only profuse in
summer Towering, but the flowers can be cut
and kept for months in cool shed or drawer.
Of these the best are waitzias, acrocliniums,
ammobium, heliehrysums, helipterums, rho
danthes, and xeranthemum
With regard to the best time to sow, every
thing will depend upon the climate of the To-
Oalsf,
ais to plant about the time that farmers plant
their corn, or gardeners plant their bush BEANS
there is nothing gained by planting or sowing
before the soil becomes moderately warm, and
if the seeds are-in good condition and properly
managed they will soon yegetate. The seeds
of many OF the ANNALS are quite small, and
should be covered very slightly; such seeds as
those of the portulaccas should not be covered
at all-inerely well pressed in the soil. Large
seeds, like sweet peas, may be covered with an
inch of soil, and so all should be covered ac-
cerding to the size of the seed.
The best soil for ANIMALS is what might be
termed sandy loan; but small patch of
ground, upon which the seeds are to be sown,
may be rendered suitable, even in strong soils, by
removing good spadeful of the soil and filing
in with light preparation of earth, sand, and
rotted manure, we'll tramped and firmed. One
| of the best methods of introducing ANIMALS in
borders is by sowing small patches at intervals
among other plants. Some of the stronger
growing sorts make admirable beds by them
selves, or in combination. Thus, a circular bed
/ of petunias, with plant or two of Gamma in
! the center, viii grow into as fine group as can
| be arranged We have seldom seen finer beds
than some produced by this combination. Then,
/ the portuiaca makes one of the most snowy
beds in the Hover garden, either by itself or as
| an edging to groups of DrGmmond phlox. The
| sweet aiyssum also max a fine, thickset
/ n1aSS eSnariaffy come dwarf varieties with
! partly double flowers, which, however,
/ have to be increased by cuttings, and
| hardly come In the list of plants to be grown
from seed. All of the larger growing ANIMALS,
such as zinnias, balsams, princes feather, and
peoples, make fine groups in beds by them
| selves. Something is gained by first sowing
the seeds Of certain kinds in a frame, where
| they can be covered with glazed sash; hotbed is
! not absolutely necessary. Those which trans
plant readily from frames are asters, balsams,
Drummond phiox, zinnias marigolds, and petu-
niss. Some Of the finer seeded kinds viii vege-
tate more freely if they are shaded from the sun
IN very clear weather; certain kinds of soils
! bake and become hard and compact on the sur
/ face after heavy rains, so that the seeds fail to
/ vegetate, or, If they do, the young plants viii
/ have hard struggle for life; sitting sprink-
/ ling of fine moss or chaf viii prevent the for
nation of a crust piece of strong paper laid
/ over the patch. held in place by handful Of
! soil, viii also answer a good purposes nothing,
| however, equals a small square of glass, either
/ laid on the surface or elevated an inch or two
above it by pegs at the corners for it to rest
| upon. A thin sprinkling of sand or soil on the
| glass will afford sufficient shade until the
young plants appear.
Gamma seeds will vegetate more freely if they
are soaked in water for day or two before
/ sowing. They will form effective plants late
| in the season from seed afterwards the roots
can be lifted, kept dry and from frost all win
/ ter, and when planted out in spring will
! speedily grow to a good size. Some of the va
rieties have flowers which approach, in size
! and color, to those of the gladiolus
PREPARING GROUND FOR SEEDS.
! The perfection of cultivation involves sys-