24 CARL PURDY, UKIAH, MENDOCINO CO., CAL. 
Wild Flower Seeds 
California is far-famed for its wild llowurs. In former days fhcse could lie seen, during 
tlie spring, in tracls hundreds of miles long; and Ihey still grow profusely on unlillcd lands. 
The greater pari of these are ajinuals wdiich are self-sown in the summer, and they start 
into growth when the first rains come in the autumn. With them, however, were many per- 
ennial plants which iiature had wonderfully fitted to endure the four months of drought 
every summer. Jfany of tlusc died lo the ground during the dry period, but the root, which 
had ripened absolutely dr.\-, was rea(l.\- in the fall to start into growth liUe the annuals. 
Many of our best annuals ha\i' long been in cultivation, and are to be found listed in 
all the best seed catalogs (liroughoul Ihc world. Most of these, Iniwever, ha\-e been changed 
by cultivation so that I he\- arc little like the wild flowers. I ha\e experimented with many 
sons and am olTering those lhat are most easily grown and niosl effective. Their uses are 
various, but the first and hesi use of all is (o brighten up the corners and wild spots about 
the home, ^s•lu■re waler will not reach, or where lack of time does not allow well-carcd-for beds. 
Ground under trees, an.l especially newl\- broken ground where grading has been done, 
or roads have been made, can be made beautiful by .sowing wild llower seeds liberally in 
the fall. AW of these llowers are beautiful when planted in regular beds, like common annuals. 
.\l summer homes, old and niw, I liroughoul the region of our beautiful mountain and coast 
resorts, it is especially desirable lo sow wild llower seeds liberally. 
The Leading Varieties 
For hot gravell.\' or sand\- places, the best of all arc Abronias, or "Sand Verbenas." 
These need nc) water, and bloom profusely all summer, forming a beautiful carpet in lilac, 
lilac with white e\e, and \ellow. Others are Argemone hispida, a beautiful white poppy; 
CEnothera Missouriensis, tall, with large yellow llowers; Pentstemons, which flower after the 
hrst year and are \ cr\- sliow\-; Bartonias, with golden llowers. 
Vol- open places in sun or light shade, there is Calliopsis bicolor, rich in yellow and 
maroon; Clarkia elegans, in medium pink; Clarkia pulchella, in lighter pink; Eschscholtzia 
maritiraa, in yellow and orange; Eschscholtzia Californica, the immense reddish orange 
California popp.\- of the great \alle.\'s; Lupinus nanus, the best bedder, a splendid blue- 
purple with while markings ; Cream Cups, sometimes called Owls' Cover, wdiich gives a 
wonderful^ mass effect in while or soft iiink. 
On hills or rough places, plant Bahia arachnoides, a splendid, hardy, yellow, daisy-like 
(lower; all Clarkias; all Godetias: Dicentra chrysantha, a xellow Bleeding Heart; Phacelia 
Parryii, in deep blue; Viola pedunculata, the nuich-loved \ ellow violet of the South. 
In light shades splenditi success will be had with CoUinsia bicolor, a fine bedder; Spanish 
poppy, in coppery red; Clarkias, the exquisite concinum especially; Phacelia Parryii, and all 
the Violets. 
I can supply seed of all these wild llowers at to cts. per packet, 12 packets for $1. Ounce 
rates will be rpioted on application. 
Sowing Wild Flower Seeds 
Tin: T]Mi.;.--lf ihe land does not pr.iduce a dense gr,.wth of grass, sow with or before 
the first fall rains. Xo raking in of seed is then necessarv. If ihc grass is dense, allow the 
rams to start it, then turn it under bv shallow spading, or hoe it off, and rake the seeds into 
the fresh dirt as early as possible. If the seeds arc not in bef(ue frosts come, they are liable 
to be lifted out l)y the freezing later. If sowing is not done b\- Dei ember i, it had better be 
left until late I'cbruary, wdien it may be done in the same way as in fall. 
Mannkr of Sowixg— Mix a small cpiantitv of seeds wi'tli a large bulk of drv dirt or 
dust, and sow this as evenly as |)ossible. It is almost impossible lo sprea.l the seed thinlv 
enough m any other wav. If the coarse grasses are subdued, wild fiowers will resow them'- 
selves, but if the grasses reseed much, it will be necessarv to sow the fiowers every year. 
Under trees or on rough grouncl the wild fiowers come even too thick, and it may help them 
there to thin by raking, after they are well established. 
How One Man Did It 
On one large place not far from San Krancisco bay, several acres were sown in wild 
flower seeds last December. The s|iace belween a large number of ornamental trees had been 
plowed to keei-i down the weeds and grass, and the seeds wci-e sown, without any raking in, 
just before a rain. The rain covered them and an excelleni stand was secured. In .'Xpril 
there were sheets ol Baby Blue Eyes in bolh the deep blue (Insignis Ivpe), and the maculta, 
then came wide masses of Gilia tri-color, following these Clarkias and Godetias galore, 
and finally abundant Eschscholtzias. The Eschscholtzias are |)erennial in California and im- 
prove greatly with age. Next year Lupines will be |nit in earlv with a coarse harrow, and 
llieir flowers will vary Ihe effect with great expanses of orange and inirple in early May. 
The smaller fiowers will seed themselves, and, if all are mowed oft in June, and the ground 
given a wetting Ihen, there will be a heavy second crop of Eschscholtzias in midsummer. 
Ihe cost of the seed lor this place was about $60. 
Tl!c McFarland Publicily Service, Barrisbiirs, Pa. 
