ANNUALS 



bloom, but its tallness is a serious objection, the 

 slender stems not being able to carry the weight 

 of leaves and flowers, and, even with the aid of 

 staking, the plants are nearly certain to be pros- 

 trated by wind or rain before the blooming 

 season is over. 



There is not a little merit in some of the vari- 

 eties to be found in what was called a few years 

 ago WiLKs's Improved Rh^as, and I got from 

 the mixed seeds of this strain some beautiful 

 shades. 



P. umbrosum is simply a variety of Rhaas from 

 the Caucasus, bearing a single scarlet flower with 

 a black blotch at the base of the petal, sometimes 

 margined with ash gray. 



For some years past I have saved annually the 

 seeds of certain Rh^eas Poppies of attractive 

 colors, and have gradually worked up a consider- 

 able number of charming varieties. There is a 

 mottled section of great beauty that I have la- 

 bored with for several years. It bears a large single 

 flower, five and one-half inches in diameter, of a 

 delicate rose color, mottled or veined with laven- 

 der. Other shades embrace pure lavender, 

 scarlet, rose, and dark ruby, some plants pro- 

 ducing very double flowers. I mark with a tag 



197 



