THE CALIFORNIA POPPY. 



343 



A two years' rest is necessary for the 

 plants before being forced ag'ain. To secure 

 extra fine blooms on double flowering var- 

 ieties, remove the lateral buds as soon as 

 formed. When the first lateral bud is 

 retained instead of the terminal one, a later 

 period of blooming- is obtained. 



The old flowers should be cut off so that 

 no unnecessary seed follicles will be formed, 

 and thereby exhaust the plant. 



It is also important to remove the faded 

 foliage on all peonies in November, so that 

 it may not interfere with the next season's 

 shoots. 



Grouping. — The old-fashioned early red 

 "piny" of the time of Pliny Is still a favorite 

 in our gardens, and with the host of modern 

 varieties available, ranging from purest 

 white to deepest crimson, in such a diversity 

 of form and size, afford great opportunity 

 for the carrying out of extensive color 

 schemes. 



Peonies do well in partial shade which 

 prolongs and intensifies the color of the 

 bloom, and therefore can be used to advan- 

 tage to brighten up sombre nooks. 



The period of blooming for herbaceous 

 peonies ranges from the middle of May 

 through the month of June. They grow 

 from one to three feet high, and are there- 

 fore suitable for planting in front of shrub- 

 bery, along drive ways, and are especially 

 pleasing when entering into a distant vista. 



When planted in a border with fall-bloom- 

 ing perennials such as phlox, funkia, etc., 

 its rich glossy foliage is very effective. In 

 delicacy of foliage the peony more nearly 

 approaches the rose than any other flower. 



The single-flowering sorts are not so pop- 

 ular as the double ones, for they do not keep 

 as long when cut, and fade more rapidly 

 when on the plant. 



Peonies, like most tuberous plants, when 

 dormant, stand considerable exposure and 

 can be shipped long distances with safety. 



This family of perennials is never attacked 

 by any insect, animal or fungous disease ; 

 neither do they require any covering during 

 the severest weather ; in fact they are among 

 the most hardy, showy and easily grown of 

 all the garden flowers. 



The Californian Poppy. — -The miles, — 

 the acres, — of wild flowers in bloom in 

 February and March, in Southern California, 

 almost surpass belief. The Golden Esch- 

 scholtzias, or Californian Poppies, make not 

 one but many a field of cloth of gold. We 

 have the large one, with its four petals of 

 one unvaried gold ; another, the centre of 

 which is of the same sunlit hue, while the 

 borders of the petals are lemon color ; yet 

 another with petals almost white, the color 

 of a child's flaxen hair. They last some 

 time, wrapping their drapery about them in 

 the late afternoon, sleeping sweetly till they 

 may greet the morning sun ; and if a cloud 



obscures his face, they keep on until he 

 comes in brilliant array. But the loveliest 

 thing about these devoted admirers of the 

 sun is, when their bloom is over we see 

 them no more. 



We never have the pain of seeing so 

 much beauty fade, wither and ^o to decay. 

 The wind takes their ripe petals away, while 

 in the glory of apparent youth and vigor, — 

 they are simply seen no more ; but a pretty 

 seed-vessel appears in their place, the pod 

 elongates, seeds ripen and scatter to develop 

 another harvest of sunbeams. — Meehan's 

 Monthly. 



