CELERY CENTURY PLANT 65 



cellar. Put earth in the bottom of a deep box, and plant 

 the Celery in it. An ounce of seed will furnish about three 

 thousand plants. 



Centaurea. Showy annuals and perennials. 

 C. Cyanus is the CORN FLOWER or BACHELOR BUTTON, 

 familiar to every flower lover, and always seen in old- 

 fashioned gardens. This is a fine plant for borders or 

 mixed beds, and also gives good flowers for bouquets. A 

 bunch of the Corn Flower, with a sprinkling of yellow 

 marigolds or California poppy, makes a rich effect. 

 These Centaureas are easy of culture, seeding themselves 

 after once being planted, and coming up year after year in 

 great profusion. There are blue, white and rose varieties. 

 Annuals. 2-3 ft. Hardy. 



The silver-leaved Centaureas are used only for foliage 

 effects. They are excellent for ribbon beds or border lines. 

 The seed of these should be started in a hotbed or box in 

 March, the young plants being set out where wanted when 

 the ground becomes warm. These species are perennials, 

 and are sometimes grown from cuttings. C. candldisslma 

 and C. gymnocarpa are among the best white-leaved bedders. 



Centranthus. Low -growing hardy annuals in 

 two colors, red and white. They make very effective 

 covering for low rockwork, and are also suitable for vases 

 or lawn baskets. Sow where the plants are to stand, or 

 start indoors if early bloom is wanted. 1 ft. Thin to 10-12 

 in. apart. 



Century Plant, or AGAVE. These are fine or- 

 namental plants for the window-garden or conservatory, re- 

 quiring but little care and growing slowly, thus needing 

 repotting only at long intervals. When the plants havo 

 outgrown their usefulness as house plants, they are still 

 valuable as porch decorations, for plunging in rockwork or 

 about rustic nooks. The striped-leaved variety is the most 

 desirable, but the common type, with its blue-gray leaves, 

 is highly ornamental. 



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