188 April Flowers in Northern California. 



the season is not reached. The San Joaquin valley and Monterey 

 are fully three weeks earlier, and Southern California earlier still. 

 A month ago our common Buttercups, Ranunculus macranthus, 

 were few in numbers ; now the roadsides are yellow with them, and 

 pastures are covered with them by the acre. In wet places R. 

 Bloomeri takes its place with equal profusion. Yellow seems a 

 favorite color here, and it is always seen in masses. In places a 

 low-growing Oenothera, in profuse flower, shows the richest of 

 yellows for a long period. Then the Eschscholtzia fairly monopo- 

 lizes some vacant lots in this town where there is a deep gravelly 

 Soil. These beautiful Poppies appear, not in dozens or thousands, 

 but turn whole acres into billowy masses of splendid orange ; other 

 acres glow with the darker orange of Amsinckia or the purple-blue 

 of Lupines. The Eschscholtzia foliage is especially rich this season 

 in scarlets and bronzes, which, if they could be relied upon as per- 

 manent, would make it an interesting foliage plant. 



Nemophilas are largely used by nature as bedding plants here. 

 N. insignis, Blue Eyes we call it, is everywhere in single plants or in 

 beds, a few yards in extent, and occasionally by the solid acre. 

 Gilia tricolor is another plant which now covers entire hillsides. 

 Platystemon Californicus, another member of the poppy family, is 

 also a favorite with nature. The flowers are a creamy yellow, borne 

 separately on long stalks. In dry fields it covers large areas. White 

 is the rarest color in these natural parks. Several species of Eri- 

 trichium are here, with delicate, white flowers. Limnanthes Doug- 

 lasii, long in cultivation, forms large white masses in moist placed. 

 Scarlet does not yet appear in abundance, although Calandrinia 

 Menziesii, another cultivated species, is everywhere. 



Mendocino county and the region around the base of Mount 

 Shasta have the richest flora in California. The Sierra Nevada 

 range is largely volcanic. In the coast range clays prevail, with 

 here and there volcanic projections. At Shasta these two ranges 

 meet, giving in a small space great variations in soil, altitude, ex- 

 posure and moisture. The rainiest spot in California is closely 

 adjacent to a lava desert, so at Mount Shasta the conifers have a 

 wonderful development in species, and the flora as a whole is very 

 rich. In Mendocino county the redwood forest furnishes shade and 

 moisture. The dry Chemisal region is close at hand, giving the 

 prevalent flora of the coast range. Elevations of 5,000 to 6,000 

 feet give alpine conditions, while isolated volcanic points add var- 

 iety to soil. Add to this narrow valleys and deep canyons, and the 

 variety of vegetation is not to be wondered at. 



Among shrubs the various Ceanothus are common, going far to 



