6 4 THE SCHOOL GARDEN BOOK 



commonly available. In a single one of the large petals one 

 may see a most beautiful gradation of tones from the com- 

 paratively light tint at the outer margin to the much deeper 

 tone at its base. Those varieties in which the changes from 

 yellow to orange are thus shown are particularly fascinating. 

 New varieties in pink and stripes of pink and white have 

 lately been introduced from California, where these flowers 

 grow wild in abundance. 



These California Poppies are as attractive through the 

 simplicity of their structure as they are through the beauty of 

 their coloring. The finely cut foliage is of a most delicate 

 glaucous green, which serves as a delightful background for 

 the colors of the petals. The flowers are held erect on the 

 long, slender fluted stalks, each flower when fully opened 

 having four broad petals that give it an expanse of more than 

 two inches. Within these there are a great number of the 

 stamens which have the pollen exposed on very long pollen 

 bags or anthers. These anthers are yellow and much longer 

 than the flattened filaments from which they arise, the latter 

 being blotched with a blackish shade toward their tips. In 

 the centre of the flower is the seed-bearing pistil. 



These flowers have a slight odor which would probably be 

 disagreeable to many people. This is not noticeable, how- 

 ever, except when the blossoms are very close at hand, and 

 it does not interfere in the least with their usefulness in the 

 garden or in the home. In the garden they may be planted 

 along the borders in sufficient numbers to give a distinctive 

 color, or in beds by themselves, where the brilliant flowers 

 will stand relieved against the fine green foliage. 



For blossoms of such delicate texture these poppies serve 

 admirably as cut flowers. They may be loosely displayed in 



