MANY EXOTIC SHRUBS 237 



present time seems to be as a quickly growing shade and forage plant 

 in chicken yards, where it serves a most excellent purpose, or for 

 making a screen in front of unsightly objects. It comes from the seed 

 to a height of six feet or more and full bloom within a year. 



Oleander. Both the pink and while oleanders are very conspicuous 

 in the warmer valleys of California, where they are very popular for 

 their gorgeous floral effects. They enjoy the fullest heat and will get 

 along with moderate moisture. In the low summer temperature of 

 some points near the coast they do not open their flowers well, and 

 are undesirable. 



Peach. The double white and double pink flowering peaches are 

 beautiful garden ornaments and give much desirable branch-cutting 

 for house decoration. The pink is the stronger grower. 



Peonies. The herbaceous peonies are but little grown in California 

 in spite of the beautiful colors and shades which have been developed 

 in them. We have seen as fine blooms here and there in California 

 as we ever saw anywhere, but thus far they have not achieved popu- 

 larity. The Japanese arborescent peonies do well in most parts of the 

 coast region except that they are disposed to bloom during the rainy 

 season and are sometimes, in this part of the state, destroyed of 

 beauty by drenching winter rains. Sometimes, too, the plants become 

 unthrifty, which is probably due to summer drying, to which they are 

 not accustomed. Evidently the needs and behavior oi the tree peonies 

 need to be carefully studied by all who undertake to grow collections 

 of them. 



Poinsettias. The approach of winter, especially in southern Cali- 

 fornia, is made gorgeous by the abundant bloom of the poinsettias. 

 The plant thrives in the open air near the coast. From Santa Barbara 

 southward it is not uncommon to see the plant ten feet in height, with 

 a spread of fifteen feet and a stem four inches or more in diameter. 

 The branches of these large plants are numerous and each one is 

 terminated with bracts of the most intense and brilliant scarlet, the 

 largest of which measure from fifteen to eighteen inches across. They 

 bloom for three months and are invaluable in gardens and parks, hav- 

 ing a brilliant effect and bloom most profusely when other flowers are 

 scarce. After losing its foliage the plant should be cut back to within 

 a few eyes of the old wood. It grows readily from cuttings, which 

 can ibe started in the open ground. On large grounds it is very 

 effective planted in groups. 



Quince. The Japanese flowering quince, in different shades of 

 pink, is the first of the deciduous growths to appear in midwinter. 

 The shrub clothes its branches with abundant large bloom and flashes 

 out like a flame while the garden is apt to be a little somber. The 



