A FEW OLD FAVORITES 133 



family, classified under the genus Dodecatheon. 

 There are sixteen or eighteen species described 

 in botanical literature, yet so great an authority 

 as Asa Gray thought that all the Dodecatheon 

 in the world should be classified as one species. 

 There are remarkable variations in size and color, 

 however, yet the varieties are sufficiently fixed to 

 offer good opportunity for experiment, and at 

 the same time are closely enough related so that 

 they may readily be crossed. 



The flowers of the various types show the 

 widest variation — dark purple, crimson, rose, 

 white, spotted, cream color, and yellow. There is 

 opportunity for selecting individual colors and 

 their fixing through selection; and, on the other 

 hand, for the combination of colors to produce 

 new shades. 



The plants are handsome, and furnish admira- 

 ble material with which to work, not merely by 

 way of gaining experience, but also with the pos- 

 sibility of producing worthy new varieties. 



Salvias 



The Salvias are members of the mint family. 

 There are many species, showing a wide range of 

 variation. The commonest one is known for its 

 brilliant red flowers borne in such profusion as 

 to make splendid masses to group along walls or 



