70i 



GYXERIUM 



The growing of Pampas plumes for profit in Califor- 

 nia has been carried on for over 25 years. Paiiqias 

 Grass was introduced into the United States about 1M>. 

 In the northern states it is frequently planted on tin 

 lawn in summer, and upon the approach of cold we4itliri' 

 transferred in a tub to a cellar for winter proteciiou. 

 In California, a hill will sometimes attain a height of 

 20 ft., a diameter as great, and a weight of 2,000 pounds 



Such plants would be quil 

 ern friends to handle i 

 Plants are easily pn i 

 and variety are very uii 

 by dividing the female 



for our north - 



the 



In 1«74, it was found that h> i .' i' ' • :■ 'ii.' 



plumes from the sheaths and i\i . i ., ; ,, ,1 



sun the male plumes would h.r.. 1: 



while the female plumes would bucuim iKai; . uul 1ml. i 

 and airy. In November, 187i, samples of tiiv female 

 plumes were sent to Peter Henderson & Co., New York. 

 Three hundred were ordered at once, and the following 

 day instructions were received to double the order and 

 send by express. This was the tirst b.t .il '^'noil pluuie.; 

 ever sent east from California, ai:4 \s;i^ tin- In -11111111- 

 of the present Pampas industry, lie* writn'-- ihuiii 

 tion was increased each year uMtil l.----:!, win n n ,1,1 

 prised about 5,000 hills. There wen- 1, iiui,,liei- ,.1 miIi, ,• 

 extensive plantations in the iieii;lilH.rli...Hl ,.1 Sicnii 



Barbara. The crop of 1889 was estinialed ni l.iiiin.i 



plumes. The demand has been gocid, Imt tin |n i., s li:c\ r 

 never been as high as at the begiuiiiug I'f tlie iiHlti-ny, 

 The first prices were $200 per 1,000 plumes. 'I'lie de- 

 crease in price was gradual until 188G, wtieti sali s were 

 slow at $30 per 1,000 plumes. Some of the (.-rowers diil 

 not harvest their crops that year, and dc sin.w.l llieir 

 plants. In the fall of IUST plune . >>ei. ,,, d. ie,indat$40 

 per 1,000, and in 18S8 ties «.ie ,, . ,, i and $00 

 per],000. The foUowini; -|.rii.:. ,: : : ,. ii.erease 



in acreage. Since then the indu ■; im- leei ii-iipsand 



the pres, 111 priei's heiiiL' .-l-.Tid and .fllfor firbt-class, 



and *.S te .7.1 tnl- seennd M, e. 



Pampas Crass sh.add he |,ut en ihe hest valley land, 

 and set lu l)y iijlect apart, ih li.re ,.| .ntiiiL'. the ground 

 should be deeply plowed and put 1 -1 . Ii - ei.ndition. 

 In selecting stock, divide only in - 'hat pro- 

 duce the finest white plumes. ^ ■ ■ li Inre the 



best plants. From old hills the Im-i pi.ni- nr^ nhtained 

 around the outside, those in the center of the stool being 

 mostly worthless unless planted in large clumps. Some 

 plumes will be produced the first year after planting. 

 They will not be first-class, but are worth saving. The 

 second year, if well grown, they should produce 80 to 

 150 plumes to the hill. Not all plantations will yield 

 this much. The third and fourth years there will not be 

 much change in the vicld. ,\s a plant gets older the 

 plumes are Ini-' r hut tin •■!• 'd is less. After 8 or 10 

 years aquantir t i .1 1 ii,.r will have accumulated, 



i i e d or burned. 



, iiinss is a signal for great 

 eilia\e large fields. The grass 

 should be so trinimoil early in September, before 

 the plumes appear, that each hill will be easy 

 of access. Young plants ripen their plumes two 

 or three weeks earlier than old ones, and some * 



varieties are earlier than others. It requires ex- v 



ercise of judgment to pick the plumes at the t. 



proper time. They are generally ready when they — 

 are exposed from the husk a few inches and have J*'^ 

 a fluffy look. It is well to try a few at this stage, ^ v- 

 and if they cure well at the stem end when dr>' '-cv^ 

 they are ail right, but if they do not become fluffy T^'^' 

 at the stem end they have been picked too young. ''■^=- 

 If the plume looks" dark and seedy at the top 

 when cured, it was too old when picked. Some 

 varieties, especially those producing very long 

 plumes, should be allowed to remain somewhat 

 longer on the plant than those of the short -plumed 



and the hills si 



The appetirai 



activity amon- 



, klufe set 



out injuring lue p>:ume. > 

 a quick jerk or strike > 

 plume. The plumes are tl 

 tiiid evenly spread in long 

 inidi -nmoth and free fr 



GYNURA 



a few of each variety, the time of 

 aseertaiued. Some varieties are 

 I. ill the field; others have to be 

 in hes. where the husk or sheath is 

 leis husk them like com : others 

 h a wav as t,i s],lit. the husk with- 

 in lin n 1, IS been split. 



111- nr.nin.l should be 

 rash that is liable to 

 the plumes. Clean stubble ground is the best. 

 es are left on the ground three days and two 

 cure, and are turned an.l shaken once each 

 n;ii, ,nntpneknd:nv:n-risl.r,.in;iyai„l smoothly 



m iv.u yrud. .-; lUe first-class, 

 Je-ug and over, clear of stem 

 iiehes), is packed in cases that 

 a ton and contain 3,000 plumes ; 



n d in cases of the same size, 



in] n. Imi- e|, :ir i.f stcni. auil 



III. pi ' paekial sm..„thly and evenly they will 



■ . jdessure. Careful all-round cultivation 



I ■ I induce good plumes. About three-quar- 



1 I- .1 ,1 I,,,,,, .11 plumes are grown at Santa Barbara at 



The best market at present is London, the next Ham- 

 burg. Berlin, Denmark, New Y'ork and Philadelphia 

 take a few. Pampas plumes are colored in London. In 

 America the pure white plumes give the best satisfaction. 

 Joseph Sexton. 



GYNtTBA (name refers to the tailed stigmas). Com- 

 p6sU<v. Twenty or more herbs (rarely somewhat 

 shrubby) nf trnf,ii.r,| \.in. :\frhni and .\iisfrnlia l.vs. 



alternate. 1 ■■• , ■■ 1. 1 .•■!, mnn.n-.nn : ]■••/■'- di- I, ilie 



florets enninn , , 1.- " ■ ' •■ '• • < '■ y ■ 



amoderalii; li:,_li tninpnmiiire. in- nn- all i' d n.>niieeio 

 and Cineraria. 



aurantiaca, DC. Velvet Plant. Stout and branchy, 

 2-3 ft., with almost succulent stems, densely clothed 

 with violet or purple hairs: Ivs. large and soft, ovate, 

 jagged -toothed, hairy, short petioled or the upper ones 

 clasping, overlaid with iridescent purple: heads in a 

 terminal cluster, yellow or orange. Java. I.H. 28 :43C. - 

 One of the handsomest of recent foliage plants. In 

 winter it may be grown in the conservatory or warm- 

 house, but in the summer it may be bedded out in a 

 warm and protected place. It grows rapidly, and makes 

 a most satisfactory display of colored leafage. It is 

 readily propagated by cuttings in the house, as gerani- 

 ums are. 



Other species, but not known to be in the Amer. trade, are: 

 G. auriculata, Cass. (G. ovali'. TiQ Cacnlia ovalis, Ker.). 



.%^ AV T.fe-t--'^^' 





1011 Gypsophila muralis 



