Gardening in California 



Propagate by sowing seeds of ten-week stock early in March, 

 in a hotbed, the intermediate varieties in April, and the Bromp- 

 tons late in July. Cover the seeds to the depth of one-eighth of 

 an inch. As soon as the young plants are large enough to be 

 handled, prick them out (in pots or boxes) three inches apart in 

 light rich soil composed of one-third leaf-mold, one-third light 

 loam, one-sixth old well-decomposed horse-manure and one-sixth 

 soft sand, well mixed together; return them into the same tem- 

 perature for about ten days, after which they should be trans- 

 ferred into a cold frame and gradually exposed to the air, care 

 being taken that the young plants do not receive any check in 

 their growth either by sudden exposure to cold or by being taken 

 from under glass and planted in the open without first being 

 placed out of doors for at least a week until they get over the 

 change from shelter to exposure. Another danger to be guarded 

 against is leaving the young plants in the boxes after they have 

 exhausted the soil, in which case the stems become hard and 

 barkbound, thus forcing them to send up their flower-stalks 

 which, on account of their stunted condition, are puny and weak. 

 In short, the young plants should be kept in a vigorous growing 

 condition from the time they germinate until planted where they 

 are to flower. 



MIMULUS. 



This showy and ornamental genus comprises many fine- 

 flowering annuals and a few shrubby species ; one of the shrubby 

 species (Mimulus glutinosa) may be found blooming on our 

 hillsides nearly every month of the year. Mimulus cardinalis, 

 with its bright scarlet flowers, is a lovely perennial, thriving best 

 by the side of a running stream, and another of our natives is 

 Mimulus luteus, which flourishes by the banks of our ponds and 

 lakes. The many and vari-colored varieties of Mimulus luteus 

 are very effective garden flowers. Mimulus moschatus (the com- 

 mon Musk) is another species of this genus and is a well-known 



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