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Beds must be kept entirely free from weeds until fall. Wheremulch is not maintained around the plants cultivation should be keptup, especially after a rain, to prevent evaporation. In the development of the annual flower garden the soil should bethoroughly spaded over each spring and well pulverized. A goodcoating of well-rotted manure should be thoroughly spaded into the soilto a depth of four inches to eight inches. During the flowering seasonof these plants it may become necessary, on account of the lack of suf-ficient food, to supply some quick-acting fertilizer such as sheepmanure or dried blood which will force their growth and assist greatlyin developing larger and more abundant flowers. A slight sprinklingof sheep manure or dried blood around each of the plants will besufficient. It may be advisable to repeat this fertilizing operationat intervals of three or four weeks during the flowering season. Nitrateof soda is sometimes used as a plant stimulant. It is much more dan-gerous, however, than either sheep manure or dried blood because anoverdose is very apt to burn and injure the plants. |
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