SOWING SEEDS IN HOT VALLEYS 207 



they are not at all in evidence, having been cut down by the frosts of 

 late fall. 



Winter and Spring Bloomers. As concerns annual flowers for late 

 winter and spring blossoming it is true in general that varieties listed 

 in seed catalogues as "hardy annuals" are the ones most certain to 

 thrive during our so-called winter months. This group is made up 

 largely of such well-known plants as mignonette, candytuft, sweet 

 alyssum, sweet peas, sweet sultan, ten-weeks stock, snap-dragon, pot- 

 marigold, common parsley, annual or rocket larkspur, and corn and 

 opium poppies. To these may be added also the equally hardy arctotis 

 grandis, crimson flax, perennial flax, blue lupine, annual phlox, Mexi- 

 can evening primrose, California poppy, and the gaillardias the last 

 six of which are indigenous to the Southwest. Along with these 

 should be planted, for spring and early summer flowering, the biennial 

 foxglove, Canterbury bells, and the ever-present and hardy hollyhock. 



Seeds of the above plants may be sown any time in September or 

 early October in ordinary, well-prepared garden soil. When sown in 

 September the young plants grow to some size by late fall, and are 

 less subject to injury from birds and grasshoppers. The plants require 

 only moderate irrigation during much of their growing season by 

 virtue of moderate temperatures, and of the winter rainfall which at 

 times is sufficient to supplement a considerable part of the watering. 

 With a few exceptions, including the biennial species, the growth of 

 these varieties is at an end by the middle of May when the hot weather 

 sets in, after which many have little inclination to look after beds of 

 flowers, while still others seek cooler climates. These winter and 

 spring growing plants are accordingly well suited to the interior 

 country and with the perennial species to be noted next should come 

 to be widely grown. It is to them that we must look for cut flowers 

 and diversity of color during our growing winter seasons when the 

 landscapes in other countries are bleak and sere. 



In addition to those mentioned, certain of the annuals, as phlox 

 and larkspur, will continue, with cultivation and frequent watering, 

 to blossom well into the summer season. No other of the winter 

 growing plants supply so many flowers for cutting, nor so wide a 

 range of color as the sweet pea. They should be given deep, rich soil 

 and moderate irrigation, the latter in particular, after the first flower 

 buds appear. 



There are a few perennial species blossoming in winter and early 

 spring that should be planted at the same time as the annual flowers 

 just noted. Of these the well-known violet is one of the most 'satis- 

 factory. Besides blossoming freely during the winter, with moderate 

 watering it remains green throughout the year, and even if allowed to 

 go unirrigated two or three months in the summer a fresh growth 



