Gardening in Californi 



planted in the open air. Before being planted, they should be 

 hardened off by being placed in the open air for a week or ten 

 days. 



The perennial species are propagated by cuttings of the young 

 shoots which start from the old stools in Spring. Take off the 

 shoots when they make a growth of four inches and place them 

 in light sandy soil in a cold frame, shading them for a few days, 

 during hot sunshine. As soon as they are rooted, take them out 

 and plant them in the open border in rows eight inches apart and 

 three inches apart in the row. These will make good plants for 

 flowering the following season. 



The most popular system of increasing the number of plants 

 is by simply dividing the old stools into small pieces in early 

 Spring and replanting. In planting the tall-growing species, set 

 them out about two feet apart. In Summer a good top-dressing 

 of old manure will be found very beneficial, besides conserving 

 the moisture by preventing evaporation. 



PLATYSTEMON (Cream Cup). 



This charming little annual is one of our earliest Spring 

 flowers, flowering some years as early as January. Its lovely 

 straw-colored, poppy-like flowers are always welcome wherever 

 they are found. 



It is propagated by simply shaking a pinch of seed where 

 a patch of the pretty cream-colored flowers is desired, in 

 October, or immediately after the ground has received a good 

 rain in the Fall. Should the seedlings come up too thickly, thin 

 them to three inches apart. 



[264] 



