Purdy's Calii'ornia FIoA^'^erinji Plants 
23 
Scabiosa atropurpurea, the Old Ladies' Pin-Cushion of our mothers' gardens, has 
been evolved into one ol the finest and most useful of garden flowers. About San Fran- 
cisco Bay, I doubt if any jjedding plant is more useful, for it is at once easily grown, long- 
flowering, fine to cut, and equally fine to mass. It becomes partly perennial here, but 
is best treated as biennials. Strong plants should be ready to set out in the fall or 
early winter, and will flower all summer. I have superb plants, and also in White, 
Flesh-colored, Brick-Red and Azure-Blue, at lO cts. each, $i per doz., $7 per 100. 
SILENE pendula is a biennial, and one of the very best plants to give a low carpet 
early in the year. I use it to cover ground which I wish to set in dahlias or gladioli in 
May. Planted in fall they will give an e.\T|uisite sheet of pink for weeks in early spring. 
Fine plants at 8 cts. each, 50 els. per doz., S3 per 100. 
SNAPDRAGONS, or ANTIRRHINUMS, are most excellent garden plants deserv- 
edly favorites for bedding. In California they are really perennials, but are best treated 
as annuals. They do best in a well-mellowed soil in the sun. They can be planted from 
December to June, and I have fine plants at all times in all leading colors — pure white, 
pink, red, deep red and almost black (Black Prince), yellow, salmon. 8 cts. each, 
50 cts. per doz., $2 per 100. Larger plants $3. 
STOCKS arc among (he best annuals, but there are some fine biennials and per- 
ennials. Of the Ijicnnials Beauty of Nice is most excellent for cutting, and flowers 
throughout late summer and fall and even into winter. Seedlings at 50 cts. per doz. 
Stocks of the Brompton style are perennials — the true old Gilliflowers. They are 
most satisfarlor\- plants and in spring I will have plants from best English strains, in 
Scarlet, W hile, l'"lesh, Purple, Carmine and Dark Rose. Large plants at $1 per doz. 
The SUNFLOWER group of plants is called Helianthus. All are hardy and easily 
grown; will stand 
neglect, yet respond 
wonderfully to good 
care. They flower in 
midsummer or fall, 
and are grand planted 
in bold masses. 
A bed with a yel- 
low-and-orange color 
scheme can be 
worked out by using 
Gazania splendens for 
front, coreopsis back 
of that, and (hen 
large masses of tall 
Sunflowers and Rud- 
heckia, Colden Clow, 
for background. Riid- 
hcckia Nni'iiiaiii, loo 
fills in wonderfully. 
Such a bi'd lhat 1 
planned is (he fea- 
ture in one large place 
Plain I he"" large 
sorts 2 to 3 feel apart 
each way, and ihe 
smaller ones 1 S inches 
10 2 feel. S<,il should 
l)e well worked and 
manured, and in sum- 
mer should either be 
kept mellow by culli- 
vation or mulched 
wilh manure, \earl\- 
all of I his group ha\-e 
the chr> sanl hemum 
habit of throwing up 
a large number of 
shoots. They should 
be treated like the Sunflower, Miss Mellish. Reminds one of a cactus dahlia, and 
chrysanthemum — is just as good as that flower for cutting (sih' puKc 24) 
