THEODORE PAYNE 



flowers, cream-colored or yellow. The flowers 

 dry intact on the plants and with a slight breeze 

 cause a delicate rustling sound, hence the name 

 of "Whispering Bells." The flowers may be cut 

 and dried and will keep like an everlasting 

 flower. The seed is not easy to germinate. In 

 the wild state the plants appear in immense quan- 

 tities after a mountain fire and then almost en- 

 tirely disappear again; this would indicate that 

 either the intense heat or the lye in the ashes 

 acts on the seed causing it to sprout. Probably 

 the best way to start the seed would be to sow 

 broadcast in the open ground and burn a quan- 

 tity of brush over it. Pkt. 15c. 



Encelia californica. Perennial shrub 2 to 6 feet 

 high; found growing on dry hillsides and blooms 

 profusely. Flowers somewhat resembling a sin- 

 gle sunflower, bright yellow with dark brown 

 centers. Pkt. lOc. 



Erysimum asperam. "Wild Wallflower.'' Peren- 

 nial 2 to 4 feet high. Erect growing plant with 

 long spikes of large orange-colored flowers; very 

 handsome and striking. Pkt. lOc. 



Erythraea venusta. "Pink Gentian." Annual 4 

 to 8 inches high, belonging to the Gentian family. 

 Very showy, clear pink, star-shaped flowers pro- 

 duced in great numbers; blooms in early summer 

 after most of the spring flowers are over. One 

 of the most charming of our wild flowers and no 

 plant is more deserving of cultivation. Would 

 be especially valuable for small beds and bor- 

 ders; requires very little moisture; might also 

 prove successful as a pot plant; the plants branch 

 from the ground, each branch terminating in a 

 head of flowers which bloom at the same time; 

 each plant thus forms a perfect little bouquet in 

 itself. Pkt. 15c. 



Eschscholtzia californica. "California Poppy." 

 Annual 1 to 1% feet high. The most noted of 

 California wild flowers. Dream and despair of 

 artists. The emblem of our Golden State. The 

 Spanish-Americans gave this flower a pretty and 

 appropriate name, Copa de Oro or "Cup of 

 Gold." Flowers 2 to 3 inches in diameter, 

 orange-yellow with a beautiful glossy sheen. 

 Gray-green finely cut foliage. Pkt. 5c. 



Thy satin vesture richer is than looms 

 Of Orient weave for rainment of her kings! 

 Not dyes of olden Tyre, not precious things 



Regathered from the long-forgotten tombs 



Of buried empires, not the iris plumes 

 That wave upon the tropics' myriad wings. 

 Not all proud Sheba's Queenly offerings 



Could match the golden marvel of thy blooms. 



For thou art nurtured from the treasure-veins 

 Of this fair land; thy golden rootlets sup 

 Her sands of gold of gold thy petals spun. 



Her golden glory, thou! On hills and plains, 

 Lifting, exultant, every kingly cup 



Brimmed with the golden vintage of the sun. 



INA D. COOLBRITH 



