IMany varieties of salvia, rang¬ 
ing from herbs to shrubs with flowers of almost 
every hue except pure yellow, are common to 
southwestern United States. Some species 
have medicinal value; others have economic 
use; and others are grown for decorative pur¬ 
poses both in and out of doors. . . . Among 
the salvias cultivated for decorative purposes 
and widely used in flower beds is the scarlet 
sage, a brilliant red-flowered plant that re¬ 
mains in full splendor from mid July to late 
fall or frost. Its brilliance is enhanced by the 
floral leaves which become colored bracts. 
Gardeners favor the scarlet sage because it is 
showy and requires very little care; a few 
plants placed in the flower border add beauty 
and interest to the drabness of midsummer. 
.. . An early tale of pre-Christian times charac¬ 
terizes the sage flower as a nymph who lived 
peacefully and happily in a hollow oak beside 
a pool with the more beautiful jonquils spring¬ 
ing up all about her, dimming her more mod¬ 
est beauty. Even though her own beauty 
was revealed to her as she looked into the 
clear water, she was not proud, but gladly 
admired the beauty of the jonquils and loved 
them. One day, the sound of horns and bark¬ 
ing of dogs resounded through the woods — for 
the king was out hunting. As he approached 
the oak where sage flower lived he was 
charmed by her modest beauty. To love a 
human meant death to her, yet she would not 
crush the affection that sight of the young 
king stirred within her. The king caressed 
her lovingly in his arms, and when she re¬ 
turned his embrace her arms grew limp and 
her head hung down. The king tried to revive 
her with fresh water from the pool, but she 
faded out of existence because she could not 
sustain the glow and warmth of his love — 
she gave her life for his love. The grieved 
king went away sorrowing. 
