THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
287 
in the season. It is by allowing them to mature seed. 
It takes the full energy of the plant to ripen seed, and 
these being annuals, when this is accomplished their 
life’s work is done. Keep the seed off them, and they 
keep on making fresh growths and producing addition¬ 
al flower spikes until the end of the season, trying to 
reproduce themselves by maturing seed, which can only 
be done by first producing flowers. 
There are other annuals which not only succeed when 
planted in the fall, but give much better results by 
being sown then, as they get a chance of making their 
growth before the dry, hot weather sets in. Some of 
them are the Pansy, Petunia, Sweet Peas, Myosotis, 
Morning Glory, Calliopsis, Beilis, and in a dry place 
Portulaca. There are others, but those I have mentioned 
are the best for fall planting.— Country Gentleman. 
TALKS ABOUT FLOWERS. 
Some of the most beautiful gems of which Califor¬ 
nia can boast, are to be found among her bulbous flora. 
For several years past I have been experimenting with 
this class, and the results have been alternate failures 
and successes. 
For three seasons in succession I planted the bulbs 
in my garden, in September and October, closely 
following instructions given concerning them, but I 
found these foreigners very shy; they did not respond 
to the voice of Spring, for only a limited number came 
up the first and second year, and the third, not one was 
left to tell the tale. I know not whether the bulbs were 
victims to Jack Frost or how they disappeared, but I 
concluded, however, that our winters in this section of 
the country were too severe for them. Now, if my 
experience had been confined to their culture in the 
garden, I should not be writing this, but as it was not, 
the pleasant sequel is yet to come. 
For four years past I have planted my bulbs in pots 
and have grown them as window plants; in this way 
I have been very successful, not one failed to show its 
colors last season from the little Cyclobothra, to the 
stately Lilies, and from my collection, I had one or 
more varieties in bloom from January to July. The 
following named varieties I have found best for house- 
culture : 
Cyclobothra ccerulea is an exquisite little gem that 
must be seen to be appreciated, and the same may be 
said of Liliorhiza Lanceolata. 
Fritillaria pudica, is a pretty, fragrant yellow flower, 
resembling the Snowdrop in form. It grows about 
nine or ten inches high and blooms for a long peripd. 
Fritillaria lanceolata, is a delicate and beautiful 
flower, of a pure frosty-whiteness, shading to purple in 
the center, and borne along the stem like the Lily of 
the Valley, the leaves are long and narrow, and of a 
rich green color. This plant grows from one to two 
feet high. 
Mill a Maritima bears white flowers veined with green, 
they are borne in clusters; it grows about one foot high. 
Triteleia laxa grows about two feet high, has glaucous 
leaves and sends up a strong straight stem that bears 
a large cluster of beautiful lily-like flowers of a delicate 
shade of blue. 
Camassia esculenta grows about one-and-a-half 
feet high, and bears a large cluster of blue flowers of 
various shades, and slightly fragrant. 
Brodicea congesta, Brodicea gran diflora and Brodicea 
Californica are all fine plants. The latter is sometimes 
called Twining Hyacinth. The name is suggestive of 
its habit, as it twines around'whatever support you 
give it, until it reaches the top, but the flowers will not 
open so long as it has connection with the earth ; the 
stem snaps off close down, and then the buds unfold. 
The flowers resemble the common Hyacinth, but the 
florets are smaller, and they are borne in large clusters 
instead of spikes. The flowers remain perfect a long 
time. 
Calochortus elegans is the most beautiful one of all. 
The flower opens a pale yellow, but changes, except at 
the center, to white, and is spotted and curiously 
marked with rich velvety-brown. Its common name, 
and a very appropriate one it is, is Butterfly Tulip. 
This may give you a hint as to its appearance. It grows 
from one to two feet high. 
The Lilium Washingtomum has been called the finest 
variety that the state produces. The flowers are a pure 
waxy-white, spotted with rich purple, and as glossy as 
though freshly varnished. After being open a few days, 
they change to a delicate pink and lilac color, so that 
a plant in full bloom has on it flowers of several 
different hues, laden with a delicious fragrance. 
Lilium Humbo’dtii is a grand and magnificent variety. 
The flowers are of a bright golden-yellow color, richly 
spotted with purple-brown spots. The foliage is a 
bright glossy green and borne in whorls. The bulbs 
grow large, I have had those that weighed from six to 
twelve ounces 
Lilium parvum is a small but pretty Lily, its color is 
golden-yellow spotted with dark red. It likes a moist 
shady situation. 
Lilium Pardalinum, sometimes called Golden Candle¬ 
stick Lily, is in style like the Superbums; the flowers 
are brighter however, and the plant is of stronger 
growth. In color the inner part of each petal, forming 
the center of the flower, is a bright yellow, thickly 
studded with purple-brown spots, the upper half of 
each petal is a beautiful red, almost crimson, which 
gives the flower a very unique and pretty appearance. 
My bulbs were received direct from their native places. 
The Lilies were put into the soil in October as soon as 
received; other bulbs were potted at intervals from 
September to December. I used a coarse gravelly soil, 
only moderately rich—I will copy what a correspondent 
says in regard to the culture of the Lilies : “ The soil 
they generally grow in here, with certain exceptions, 
is of a very porous nature, and well drained, and after 
the bulbs have ripened, it is much like breaking 
stones to get them out of their holds or moulds, which 
are much like plaster casts taken before they shrunk. 
They get six month’s rest, and are as dry as powder all 
the time. 
