Gardening in California 



SCABIOSA. 



This hardy perennial herb is of easy cultivation and grows in 

 any soil with little care, having the good quality of requiring 

 little water. 



Propagate by seeds sown, in early Spring, where they are to 

 flower; cover the seeds to the depth of one-eighth of an inch. 

 Thin the young plants to one foot apart when they are large 

 enough to be handled. They may also be increased by division 

 of the roots in February or March. 



SILENE (Catchfly). 



This genus comprises over two hundred species, only a few 

 of which are adapted to conditions in California. Among the 

 best may be named Silene pendula and Silene compacta; both 

 of these give fine effects in early Spring and thrive in any light 

 sandy soil. 



Propagate by sowing the seeds, where they are to bloom, in 

 September or October. The seeds should be covered to the depth 

 of one-sixteenth of an inch. Thin the seedlings, when two inches 

 high, to six or eight inches apart. 



TROP^OLUM (Nasturtium). 



Highly ornamental climbers or twining plants, intro- 

 duced from South America. They are among the most useful of 

 our annual-flowering plants, requiring very little attention and 

 thriving in any soil. For quickly covering arbors or anything 

 which is unsightly, the tall-growing species are not easily sur- 

 passed. The dwarf bushy species are excellent for planting as a 

 groundwork among shrubs, or for filling beds in semi-dry situ- 

 ations as they continue to bloom quite late in Summer if the 

 ground is well cultivated and mulched with a top dressing of 

 manure, leaf -mold or other loose fertilizing material. 



Sow the seeds, one-quarter of an inch deep, where they are 

 wanted, at any season between the first rains and March in the 



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