

CHAPTER XXXI 



THIRD WEEK IN AUGUST 



A VERY handsome plant is the giant poppy of Cali- 

 fornia (Romneya Coulteri) with enormous blooms, 

 each 9 inches across, in pure white, with a golden disc 

 in the centre. Its petals are like satin, crimped and fluted, 

 and the plant produces upwards of fifty flowers open at one 

 time, the display extending for several weeks in July and 

 August. But this is not an easy plant to establish, and it 

 should have deep well-drained soil, in a sunny sheltered 

 position, with slight protection in winter from the worst of 

 the weather. 



We obtained a young plant in a pot three years ago, in 

 October, but it was not planted out until the following May, 

 being sheltered in a cold glass porch for the winter, keeping 

 it just moist, with very occasional watering. The Romneya 

 was turned out of its pot, without any disturbance of the 

 root, at the beginning of May, into the corner of a well- 

 made vinery border facing the south, where no other plants 

 are grown ; so that it has ample room, and shares the yearly 

 mulch of cow manure which this border obtains with that 

 part of it which is given up to the roots of the vines at its 

 side. At the time of planting it was kept well watered for 

 about a month, covering it partially, too, with a hand-light 

 raised on two bricks over the plant until the cold east winds 

 and late frosts of May were past. It did not blossom the 

 first year after planting, but produced a number of blooms 

 last season, when it grew to the height of about 5 feet ; 

 the following year it reached 9 feet, however, and is extremely 

 vigorous, every shoot being covered with fine healthy buds, 



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