FLOWER SEEDS 
There are no more satisfactory flowers in the garden than those grown from seed, especially the easily grown and brilliant flowered annuals, 
ine beautiful shrubs and lilies, ot course, have their place, but are far more expensive than a paper of seed which will furnish a large number 
.of plants with usually enough tor one's garden and some to spare. 
- '-nportant to study the garden before selecting the flowers that are suitable for it, and the choice of flowers should comprehend the 
the 
It i 
height of the plant the time of blooming, and the annual or perennial class of" the flower.' "Usually the "tail" plants go next to the'fiouse 
win u .5 ln front and the low-growing varieties for the border. 
While the old-fashioned flowers are still popular, new and improved varieties have been developed, with larger and finer blossoms. 
l he seed ot a large part of our list, which we catalogue here, is raised by ourselves on our own larms, and is of strong growth, and will pro- 
duce the best of flowers. * ~ •' 
It is usually best to sow the seed of annuals early in the year, and the seed should be on hand in January or earlier. 
Many flowers can be planted in the fall for early blossoms in the spring. This is peculiarly so with Sweet Peas and Pansies. Some biennials 
and perennials can be sown in August or September, and made to bloom the following summer. This is especially true of such flowers as Holly- 
hocks and Foxgloves. 
It is best in practically all instances to start the seed in boxes, preferably a box about 18x24 inches and 4 inches deep, using very sandy soil 
that will not bake, and provide for drainage by boring some holes in the bottom of the box. It is best not to put any fertilizer in the seed-box 
since it is only necessary to bring the plants to the third or fourth leaf, when they should be pricked out and reset in' another box, in which the 
larden 0U mixed with leaf-mold. It is important that the plant be of good size, strong and sturdy, when finally transplanted in the 
If the seed be sown directly in the garden, it should be sown in the spring after the soil is well worked and fertilized. A slight depression 
should be made with a stick, tin: seed sown, and then covered with sharp sand about twice the depth of the diameter of the seed. The sand 
will prevent the crusting over of the soil after watering. 
When up, the plants must be thinned from two to twelve inches, depending on the variety, otherwise they will be weak and spindling. It is 
a common mistake in the garden to leave the plants altogether too thick. Always keep the weeds out. 
On account of the long, dry summers in California, it is necessary to apply water very often. Most of our gardens suffer for want of sufficient 
water. Where possible, it should be applied to the roots only, and after four o'clock in the afternoon. 
With a little study of the garden and the colors and habits of the flowers, a beautiful garden ca n be had from the use of flower seeds at very 
little cost. 
Annuals. — Bloom first year from seed and plant dies after one season. 
Biennials. — Bloom second year from seed and plant dies after second year. 
Perennials. — Bloom second year from seed and plant lives and blooms for several years. 
Tender. — Means plant will not stand the least frost. 
Hall Hardy. — Means plant will stand a little frost and needs protection. 
Hardy. — Means plants will stand considerable frost, or practically all we have on the Pacific Coast. 
HOT-BEDS 
Good hot-beds may be made by digging down about three feet and filling the excavation with rather fresh horse manure in which there is a 
good deal of bedding straw. About 18 inches of this manure is sufficient and then fill in on top of it with about one foot of good soil mixed 
with sand. This manure pile will be compressed, and will soon begin to ferment, and will then keep the top soil warm and cause the seed to 
sprout quickly, and the young plant will grow very fast. It is best to enclose the hot-bed with boards, making what is called a cold-frame; 
this is done by running the length of the bed east and west and by making the north side about two feet high and the south side not more 
than six inches. The ends also should be enclosed and a sash of glass should be hung on hinges at the highest end. This sash should be 
Taised for ventilation during most of the day, since the bed gets very warm and the atmosphere very close if kept too tightly closed for too 
long a time. As the plants grow, the sash should be left up longer each day to harden them and prepare them for final transplanting. 
The hot-bed should have a very sunny location near a hedge or some building, well-protected from the prevailing wind. 
The object of the cold-frame is to make an artificial heat, and to protect the plants from frost during winter. Seed may be started any 
time during the winter, and the plants can be ready to set out just as soon as danger of frost is over. 
As the sun gets too hot it is necessary to shade the bed, and the glass should be white-washed or covered with sacking if necessary. Too 
much heat is fatal to the tender, young plants; 
SELECT LIST 
ABRONIA (Sand Verbena). A hardy annual, trailing in habit, 
about nine inches high, bearing verbena-like clusters of flowers, 
which are very fragrant. A native of California. Thrives in dry 
situations, and is valuable for rock-work or hanging baskets. 
TJmfcellata. Rosy lilac. Pkt. 5c. 
AB0TILON (Flowering Maple, or Chinese Bell-flower). A 
tender perennial shrub, used generally in greenhouse 
growing into small trees in California. The flowers are beau- 
tifully bell-shaped and appear in white, yellow, rose and orange. 
Mixed colors, pkt. 10c. 
ACROCLINITJM. Very pretty annual, producing white and rose- 
colored daisy-like flowers in August and September. These are 
the "Immortelles," so desirable for wreaths and winter bouquets. 
One foot. Double mixed, pkt. 5c; single mixed, pkt. 5c. 
ADLTJMIA CIERHOSA (Mountain Fringe, or Allegheny Vine). 
An attractive and beautiful hardy climber, flowering the first 
season; clusters of small rosy-lilac flowers and pale green feathery 
foliage. Grows fifteen feet tall. Pkt. 10c. 
ADONIS (Flos Adonis, or Pheasant's-Eye). A hardy annual of 
easy culture, growing about one foot high. Leaves fine-cut and 
feathery; flowers crimson. Seed should be sown in the autumn. 
Pkt. 5c. 
AGERATUM (Floss Flower). A hardy annual of easy 
culture, especially valuable for bedding, as it is 
literally covered with blossoms all summer. Sow the 
seed early in the spring, either in boxes to transplant, 
or out of doors, and thin to four or six inches. 
Blue Perfection. Deep blue, one foot high. Pkt. 5c. 
Mexicanum, Imperial Dwarf Blue. Eight inches 
high, flowers blue. Pkt. 5c. 
Mexicanum, Imperial Dwarf White. Eight inches 
high, flowers white. Pkt. 5c. 
Little Dorrit. A perfect mass of blue flowers; plant 
is six inches high and a foot through. Pkt. 10c. 
"Little Blue Star." A very dwarf variety, densely 
covered with small, light-blue flowers, which are 
purplish-red at the center. Pkt. 15c. 
AGROSTEMA (Rose of Heaven). A hardy perennial, blooming 
the first season if seed is sown in the autumn. Plant grows one 
to two feet high; flowers resemble Dianthus in bright colors; and 
are borne on long, slender stems. Mixed colors, pkt. 5c. 
ALYSSUM (Maritimum). A fragrant, hardy annual, 
having the odor of honey, and bearing spikes of small, 
white flowers in great profusion throughout the 
summer and autumn. Useful for borders or early 
bedding flowers. Sow the seed early in spring. 
Common Sweet Alyssum. One foot high, very sweet 
honey fragrance. Pkt. 5c; oz. 25c. 
"Carpet of Snow." Pure white, very dwarf, and 
sweet scented. Pkt. 5c. 
Little Gem. Three to four inches high; fine for 
borders. Pkt. 5c; oz. 50c. 
Saxatile. A yellowish perennial variety. Pkt. 5c; 
oz. 50c. 
AMARANTHTJS. Hardy annuals, grown especially for their brilliant 
foliage. 
Caudatus (Love Lies Bleeding). Light yellowish -green foliage; 
long, drooping, crimson flower spikes. Plant three to four 
feet high. Pkt. 5c. 
Cruentus. Tall spikes of red flowers. Three feet. Pkt. 5c. 
