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VANCOUVERIA hexandra, called Mexican Ivy and Redwood Ivy, has of late 
years become a favorite bouquet green on this coast, and is sent East in great quan- 
tities. It is a very handsome plant of the Barberry family. I have good garden plants 
at 15 cts. each, $1.25 per doz., or collected plants at $5 per 100. 
VIOLETS are well represented in California's wild flowers, and 1 give but few of 
the large number. Viola atropurpurea is low, with cut leaves and a llowcr yellow on 
one side and dark brown on the other. V. chrysantha is dilTerent, but with cut leaves 
and flower in yellow and brown. V. ocellata is a Wood Violet, with the true Violet leaf 
and a pretty flower, white above and purple beneath. All at 10 cts. each. Si per doz. 
YERBA BUENA is a very attractive and fragrant creeping plant, most excellent 
for a ground-cover in a shady place, and making a good drooping vine for a hanging- 
basket or to drape a vase. It likes shade. Good plants 15 cts. each, $1.25 per doz.; fine, 
full pots, 50 cts. each. 
CALIFORNIA NATIVE FERNS 
California has a number of most excellent Ferns, and nothing is easier than to 
succeed with the hardier ones, such as Aspidiums (Sword Ferns), Woodwardia (the 
Chain Fern), or Pteris (the Brake). I have noticed them thriving in shaded corners in 
almost any class of soil, and they will stand considerable summer drought after they 
are once established. 
The shadiest place that you have, whether under trees or shaded by buildings, and 
a soil well mellowed with either old manure, spent tanbark, sawdust, old leaves, or any 
other material which will rot into leaf-mold, makes them thrive. As to watering, of all 
things the Fern likes a fine spray, and that frequently. The most frequent reason of 
failure to grow the Five-finger Fern well is that they are watered with a hose or coarse 
spray, and the foliage beaten down. The finer the spray the better for them. 
In pots, all of the Ferns will do well if given a cool position, spraying, or water at 
the roots, and a soil well made, with leaf-mold in abundance. Never allow Ferns that 
