OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN FLOWERS. 233 



Rudbeckia Californica. 



CALIFORNIAN CONE-FLOWER; Nat. Ord. COMPOSITE. 

 THIS, in all its parts, is a very large and showy subject; the 

 flowers are Sin. to 6in. across, in the style of the sunflower. It 

 has not long been grown in English gardens, and came, as its 

 name implies, from California : it is very suitable for association 

 with old-fashioned flowers, being nearly related to the genus 

 Helianthus, or sunflower. It is not only perfectly hardy in this 

 climate, which is more than can be said of very many of the Cali- 

 f ornian species, but it grows rampantly and flowers well. It is 

 all the more valuable as a flower from the fact that it comes into 

 bloom several weeks earlier than most of the large yellow 

 Composites. Having stated already the size of its flower, I need 

 scarcely add that it is one of the showiest subjects in the garden; 

 it is, however, as well to keep it in the background, not only on 

 account of its tallness, but also because of its coarse abundant 

 foliage. 



It grows 4ft. to 6ft. high, the stems being many-branched. 

 The flowers have erect stout stalks, and vary in size from Sin. to 

 6in. across, being of a light but glistening yellow colour; the 

 ray is somewhat unevenly formed, owing to the florets being of 

 various sizes, sometimes slit at the points, lobed, notched, and 

 bent ; the disk is very bold, being nearly 2in. high, in the form 

 of a cone, whence the name " cone flower." The fertile florets of 

 the disk or cone are green, and produce an abundance of yellow 

 pollen, but it is gradually developed, and forms a yellow ring round 

 the dark green cone, which rises slowly to the top when the florets 

 of the ray fall; from this it will be seen that the flowers last a long 

 time. The leaves of the root are sometimes a foot in length and 

 half as broad, being oval, pointed, and sometimes notched or 

 lobed; also rough, from a covering of short stiff hairs, and 

 having once -grooved stout stalks 9in. or more long ; the leaves 

 of the stems are much smaller, generally oval, but of very 

 uneven form, bluntly pointed, distinctly toothed, and some of 

 the teeth so large as to be more appropriately described as 

 segments ; the base abruptly narrows into a very short stalk. 

 The flowers of this plant are sure to meet with much favour, 

 especially while the present fashion continues ; but apart from 

 fashion, merely considered as a decorative subject for the garden, 

 it is well worth a place. There are larger yellow Composites, but 

 either they are much later, or they are not perennial species, and 

 otherwise this one differs materially from them. 



I need not say anything respecting this form of flower in a 

 cut state its effectiveness is well known. If planted in ordinary 

 garden loam it will hold its place and bloom freely year after 

 year without further care, Smaller subjects should not be set 

 too near it ; it may be unadvisable to plant too many clumps in 



