CENTAUREA, GERASTIUM 



313 



plants will start to flower by the middle of July and keep it up until 

 frost. They seem to delight in hot weather, being in this quite 

 different from the others. For best results, cut the buds just as 

 they begin to open; the flowers will then last in good shape for 

 four to five days, and with their long stems they come in very 

 handy. The plants will grow fully 3 ft. tall and in rich soil should 

 be staked. 



GENTAUREA GYMNOGARPA (DUSTY MILLER) 



While Centaurea candidissima is also known as Dusty Miller, 

 and is a better colored border plant than C. gymnocarpa, it is the 

 latter which the average florist raises from seed and uses most ex- 

 tensively for that purpose. It is much easier to handle and grows 

 in a shorter time. 



For plants in 2^-in. pots of the right size for borders, sow seed 

 by the end of February and grow on cool. If you want extra sized 

 plants in 3j^-in. pots to help fill vases and window boxes, sow in 

 early February and grow on in a house just under 50 deg. The 

 plants when well grown and about 10 in. in height, with their fern- 

 like foliage and silver-gray young leaves, are just the thing to go 

 with Geraniums. 



GERASTIUM 



TOMENTOSUM 



(SNOW-IN-SUMMER) 



This is another de- 

 sirable, hardy little fo- 

 liage plant, as well as 

 a flowering plant, for 

 the rockery. When in 

 flower it presents a 

 sheet of white blossoms, 

 but with its silvery 

 leaves, it is every bit as 

 good when out of bloom. 

 If you set out just a 

 few plants in the open, 

 you will always have a 

 stock to draw from 

 when a customer wants 

 a clump or a dozen 

 planted on his or her 

 grounds. 



Fig. 127. GENTAUREA CYANUS which, sown out- 

 doors in April, will produce great numbers of 

 splendid cut flowers in many attractive soft shades 

 on 12-in. stems, all Summer long 



