424 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Fig. 2406. Argemone Grandiklora Alba. 



(Mexican Poppy.) 



fresh for three days under treatment similar 

 to what they would receive as cut flowers 

 for decorative work. 



Another class of annuals com.ng into favor 

 are the annual rudbeckias, the beautiful 

 brown and dark crimson markings of the 

 base of the petals of these flowers makes them 

 more acceptable than they otherwise would 

 be, taking into consideration the almost ob- 

 iectionable and overdone appearance of many 

 flower gardens, by the too general use of 

 masses and rows of yellow flowers, such as 

 Rudbeckia laciniata (Golden Glow) and 

 the deep colored heavy looking sun flowers. 

 Several very much lighter shades of these 

 annual Helianthus or Sunflower have recent- 

 ly been introduced, their soft lemon yellow 

 and almost white flowers making them less 

 oppressive and objectionable as florists' flow- 

 ers than the deeper orange shades of the 

 older varieties of sunflowers. 



There is one more annual I would like to 

 mention, viz., Argemone Grandiflora Alba, 

 or Mexican Poppy. Although the growth is 

 coarse (3 ft.) the abundance of its pure white 

 petalled flowers will especially commend it 

 to florisits, as it gives an abundance of blos- 



som during August if sown in the open bor- 

 der in April. This plant has a habit of clos- 

 ing its flowers when on the plant at night 

 and during dull weather, but when cut it 

 remains open constantly. Although the 

 stamens in the centre of the flower are yel- 

 low, it is of such a soft shade and texture 

 that this feature is not as objectionable as it 

 is for florists' flowers. For short time work 

 it ought to be of value to florists, as large 

 white flowers are so scarce oftentimes before 

 the Asters make their appearance. 



PERENNIALS. 



I should like to have said a few words on 

 perennials, but the time is so short and space 

 will not permit except to say that the im- 

 provement in the class of plants are equally 

 as noticeable as in that of annuals, and no 

 general florist's establishment is complete 

 without a collection of these useful and in- 

 expensive class of plants. I have a few 

 specimens of several of the varieties of plants 

 that I have mentioned, amongst which 

 will be found several varieties, such as 

 Helianthus cummerifolia, Helianthus de- 

 capulatus nanus, that from their form and 

 soft lemon yellow colors well recommend 

 them to the notice of florists as useful sum- 

 mer flowering varieties. 



In conclusion I would mention another 

 class of plants that could be made of more 

 service to florists in summer than they are 

 at the present time, I have reference to 

 Hardy Climbers, more particularly the Cle- 

 matis. The beautiful colors and shades ot 

 those that are now off"ered, from the pure 

 white of the Duchess of Edinburgh variety, 

 C. paniculata and C. Henryi to the deep lav- 

 ender color of Standishii or to the intense 

 purple of the more common Jackmanii, will 

 allow of no excuse for florists planting 

 around and about their establishments — as 

 we often see done — the common varieties of 

 Anripelopsis and Clematis, when other kinds 

 such as those I have mentioned might oc- 



