ERYSIMUM, Nat. Ord. Crudfera. 



RYSIMUMS are very good and perfectly hardy annuals, of the Mus- 

 tard family. They form fair looking 

 plants about eighteen inches in height, 

 with clusters of yellow or orange, fra- 

 grant flowers, and plant and blos- 

 som resemble the single Wallflower, 

 though both flowers and clusters are 

 smaller. Late in the season the Erys- 

 imum is very desirable for cutting, and 

 although not a flower that we would se- 

 lect as one of the best six, yet it is one 

 we would not like to dispense with and 

 also one that improves with acquaint- 

 ance. Some time when you need flowers for loose bouquets or decorations, try the Erysimum. 



ESCHSCHOLTZIA, (California Poppy,) Nat. Ord. Papaveracea:. 

 The Eschscholtzias are the most showy of our yellow- flowered annuals. This we well knew, 

 but the exceeding brilliance of these flowers when grown in masses we did not realize until we saw 

 thousands of acres in their native home, California, shining like 

 seas of molten gold. The plant is 

 of low growth, the tallest varieties 

 being less than a foot in height, 

 while the dwarf kinds are not more 

 than six inches. The leaves are 

 finely cut, and glaucous green in 

 color. There are now several dis- 

 tinct varieties, white, yellow, orange, &c.. but the old yellow, known as the California Poppy, is 

 quite equal to the best. Seed may be sown in the garden where plants are to flower. 



EUPHORBIA, Nat. Ord. Euphorbiacea : 

 The Euphorbia marginata is a pretty annual, making a plant nearly two feet in height and 



having the appearance of a shrub or miniature tree. The largest of the leaves are nearly two 



inches in length, growing smaller as they near the tops of the 

 branches. The leaves are very pretty light green, surrounded by 

 a margin of clear, snowy white, on the large leaves merely a line, 

 becoming wider as the leaves get smaller, until the smallest are 

 nearly or quite pure white, as are also the flower bracts. It 

 grows abundantly west of the Mississippi, and is called Snow on 

 the Mountains, and we thought this a very appropriate name, 

 as we noticed it growing upon the plains, within sight of 

 the snow-fringed mountains. For a bed of ornamental-leaved 



plants few things we are acquainted with will give more satisfaction. 



EUTOCA, Nat. Ord. Hydrophyllacea:. 



The Eutocas are another pretty class of California annuals, all having blue flowers, though of 

 different shades. They are coarse growing plants, but the flowers of the dark colored sorts are 

 intensely blue. They do best in a warm sandy soil, at least give more 

 flowers in proportion to their foliage than if in a rich strong soil- 

 The Eutocas are very desirable for cutting, because 

 a flowering branch when placed in water will keep 

 in bloom for many days. It seems almost strange 

 that we are indebted to California for so many of 

 our nice annuals. The lover of flowers, and par- 

 ticularly if acquainted with annuals, in travel- 

 ing in California finds it hard to persuade himself that he is not in a cultivated garden, and often 

 we found ourselves unconsciously looking for the house, the host, and the gardener. 



72 



