220 
Helleborus or the 
Christmas Rose 
Fine as are all of the forms of Helle- 
borus, or Christmas Rose, all, I believe, 
must yield pride of place to H. niger St. 
Brigid. This variety was found many years 
ago in the gardens of an ancient castle in 
County Cork in Irelanl. St. Brigid has 
immense pure white flowers of exquisite 
shape, and there are invariably two of them 
ideally placed on a long, stout stem. It is 
a superb variety. 
Three years ago some seed were sown 
which has been saved from St. Brigid, and 
as they were put in as soon as they were ripe, 
they germinated quickly. If seed is kept 
for any length of time it will become dor- 
mant for a year before it germinates and 
thus it is well to stratify the seed in moist 
sand during the winter months at a temperat- 
ure above freezing when it shoull be planted! 
early in the spring. 
The seedlings raised from that seed, 
flowered this year and all of them are 
good; some have flowers richly suffused 
with rose, and others are immaculate in 
their purity. I have one plant amongst 
them whose flowers are wholly pink or a 
soft rose, and I look forward to seeing 
this flower again after the plant has gained 
a little more strength through age. Tha 
flowers are wonderful for such a young plant 
and many of them had two on a stem and 
several had six petals instead of the usual 
five. The beautifully formed blossoms are 
very lovely, and in the center of each there 
is a green ring which, along with the boss 
of golden stamens, intensifies the purity 
of the flowers. 
Many crosses have been made betweert 
H. niger and H. orientalis, and the fine 
varieties known as the Lenten Roses are 
the result, but for some reason little cross- 
ing has been done between the varieties of 
the Christmas rose. 
The true Christmas Roses, the forms of 
H. niger, last well when cut and put in 
water: in fact; few flowers can vie with 
them in this respect. The flowers will last 
for as long as a month in perfect and un- 
sullied purity, and they then gradually as- 
sume a green tint. They may last for 
six weeks before showing signs of fading. 
Christmas roses love a position in semi- 
shade, and will amply repay liberal treat- 
ment in the way of manure. After plant- 
ing, all they ask for is to be left alone for a 
year or two. 
THE MARCH HERB GARDEN 
Sow seeds outdoors of borage, chervil, 
coriander, fennel, parsley and purslane. 
Sow seeds indoors of sweet and bush bas- 
il and sweet marjoram. 
For new beds transplant alecost, balm, 
chives, fennel, horehound, hyssop, lavender, 
pot marjoram, mint, Welsh onion,horse rad- 
ish, rue, sage, tarragon and thyme. 
Manure the pennyroyal bed. 
Trim sage plants. 
OXYPETALUM CAERULEUM 
A tender semi-woody perennial from Arg- 
entina; 1-2 feet, full sun; dry well drained 
soils; flowers are one inch across in an un- 
usual shade of blue (roughly sky-blue). It 
can be grown in California and the South. 
inermis: (in-ERM-iss), without thorns. or 
spines; unarmed. 
incomparabillis: (in-kom-par-RAB-il-iss), ex- 
celling. : 
PASSIFLORA - PETROCALLIS 
They are especially noted as the Mammoth Pacific Pansies. 
JUMBO STRAIN: 
—Pay Dirt. Largest golden yellow ever produced; dark rays and tiny dark faces; 
sistant, to. the: (SUMMER), NEAts ces.ces. ccestertectacherkssbatsncettsthetnonsesesstsskevecscctastugeerenere PANS-4P. 50¢ 
—Jumbo Baconsfield. Upper petals rich lavender, lower deep violet; no blotch; beauti- 
DLL S encensusvascesaecusceacsenscucatseranenssveensocstscesvieursveecertccztisrastyeeeratetnasenstussuesucvesttpccanenteceneereaenesns@ PANS-4B. 50¢ 
—Jumbo Bronze Tones. Blend of many grand colors ranging from old gold, rich cop- 
per and sunset tones to deep browns. Many smoky blue-bordered types, rosy 
toned bronze beauties, all of excellent texture and immense size.... PANS-4Z. 50¢ 
—Madam Steele. Huge jumbo purple selection; wonderful for adding velvet violet 
shades for those wishing darker colors. No faded or magenta tones PANS-4S.50¢ 
—Jumbo Blend. Many new and unique colors, pastel orchids, apricot, yellows, blues, 
brass tones, copper bronze, purple, reds, in addition to many multi-color com- 
binations and selfs; flowers to 5 inCheS ACTOSS.........ccceeceeesseeeseeeeseeeee PANS-4X.45¢ 
1/16 oz. $3.50; 14 oz. $7.50; 1 oz. $22.00. 
STEELE’S BEDDING TYPES: 
—Mlle. Irene. Copper-red, bronze red and henna shedas. Lighter and brighter than 
Gorgeous. Some brilliant pure red tones; VY 02. $8.00..0...........:sccce00e PANS-5M. 30¢ 
—Golden Gate. Fine golden yellow with three dark blotches; very resistant to heat; 
—Adonis. Light blue shades, most of which show small white face in center of bloon: 
marked with edarker DlOtCness cmcecccesstescetennisseresrsceteanecereuencn 4 oz. $5.50...PANS-5A. 30¢ 
—Biend of Bedding Types. Hand made blend of above............ Yy oz. $5.50... PANS-5X. 25¢ 
STEELE’S SWISS GIANTS: 
—Sea Blue. Intense blue with dark blotch; excellent... essseeseeeeeeeeee PANS-6S. 30¢ 
—Gorgeous Red. Reddist Pansy, with deeper blotch...14 oz. $5.50... PANS-6G. 30¢ 
—Super Swiss 400 Mixed. 1% oz. $6.00; 1 oz. $19.00; 1% Ib. $60..........000.... PANS-6X. 25¢ 
— butterfly Hybrid suisscicccsccsacsscescsacsectessecsverssestrs 1/16 Oz. $3.75; 1 Oz. $26.00............ PANS-7X. 35¢ 
Pastel in character in shades of pink, rose, apricot, buff, lavender, yellow, pale gold, 
orange, salmon, coral and flesh, many overlaid with a delicate bronze cast. Form ruf- 
fled, fiuted and marked with sun rays and blotches of butterfly sheen metallic jewel 
tones. Distinct strain and unlike any other Pansy. Excellent for cutting. 
—Steele Pansy Blend. Blend of all above Steele varieties....4 oz.$5.50... PANS-8X. 03¢ 
PARKINSONIA. (pahr-kin-SOH-ne-ah) Leguminosae. 
Tropical and sub-tropical shrubs and trees with whitish or yellow racemes and flat- 
tened leathery pods. None are hardy in the North but others are native up to Texea 
and Arizona. 
—aculeata. Tree to 30 ft; thorny; fils yellow, frag; hedge plant... PARK-l. 25¢ 
PARONYCHIA. (par-oh-NIK-ee-ah) Whitlow-wort, Nail-wort. Illeceosceae. 
Small herbaceous tufted annuals and perennials with small clustered flowers. They 
are especially nice in the rockery and easily grown. 
—argeniea. Prostrate; white fis in dense clusters amongst lvs; HHP.... PARQN-1(C). 30¢ 
PASSIFLORA. (pas-i-FLOH-rah) PASSION FLOWER. Passifloraceae. G-50 d. 
Mostly tendril climbing plants not hardy in the North but many are grown indoors 
where they make good house plants. In pots use some leaf mold in a fibrous loam and 
give liquid manure when in growth. 
—caerula. Fils to 4” ac; pale pink, the crown white and purple; house pl.... PASS-9. 25¢ 
—Columbian species. Collected nm Columbia... scssccssccesssscessccssccssccesscee PASS-11. 25¢ 
—incarnata. White fils shading to pink with rings around fis; Va.-Tex.... PASS-17. 25¢ 
—mollissima. Fls rose, 3’ ac; fruits yellow; from AMndeS.oui.....eccecessessesees PASS-29. 25¢ 
PEDICULARIS. (pe-dik-eu-LAY-ris) WOOD-BOTONY LOUSEWORT. Scrophulariaceae. 
Annuals and perennials with two-lipped flowers in spiked clusters in whitish and 
reddish colors and used in the rockery and border. 
—densiflora. Very brilliant, scarlet fis; woodland; 1 ft; Calif; HP... PEDI-4. 25¢ 
—groenlandica. Redand purple fis; 18” hardy; HP PEDI-5. 25¢ 
—-NCPAIONSIS.. io..cdsssnteotecssetesaseessenstecvscssecsusraze stvasvexsassstteocuscbgarccetvsventeeee .. PEDI-9. 20¢ 
—siphonantha. Pink fis; beautiful lvs; rockery; PEDI-12. 25¢ 
—Pedicularis!) Mixture.© All Micindsis listed) Aesstcieieeessscesvesvectsteenerste saree .. PEDI-X. 20¢ 
PELARGONIUM  (per-ahr-GON-ne-um) STORK’S BILL. Geraniaceae. 
The Geranium commonly grown in the greenhouses in the North, all tender perenn- 
ianl, are listed here. The genus Geranium or Cranesbills are listed under Geranium. 
While the florist varieties of Geraniums are grown from cuttings, many are grown from 
seed, especially for the pleasure of the new forms and hybrids. They are easy to grow. 
* 
—zonale, Mixed. Seed saved from a large European collection...2.........0.... PELA-35. 20¢ 
PELTOPHORUM. (pel-TO-fro-rum) (Baryxylum) Leguminosae. 
Tropical ornamental trees with showy yellow flowers in terminal panicles and flatten- 
ed winged pods. Suitable for the far South only. 
—africanum. Rhodesian Black Wattle. Thorneless, feathery fol; sweet sc.... PELT-1l. 25¢ 
PENNISETUM. (pen-i-SEE-tum) Ornamental Grass. Gramineae. 
Annual and perennial ornamental grasses for borders or specimen planting. Used 
also for dried flowers. Start seed indoors early for good sized plants ; they are easily 
grown; space plants 12-18 inches apart. 
—Ruppelii. Fountain Grass. Solitary spikes, purple, red, rose; 4 ft; TP... PENN-9. 15¢ 
—villosum. (longistylum) Pretty, 2 ft; spikes plume-like, purplish; TP.... PENN-11. 15¢ 
PENSTEMON. (pen-STEEM-on) BEARDS-TONGUE. Scrophulariaceae. 
An attractive genus of perennials, nearly all of which are native N. American; in 
bright tubular flowers on terminal racemes or panicles. They are not hard to grow and 
4 pe - a well drained soil. They are great bloomers, sometimes causing the death 
fo) e plant. 
. —aggregaius. Showy; lge deep blue fis; best of clusterheads; 1 ft; HP 25¢ 
—albertinus. Bright blue spikes, rockery; lvs in basal rosettes; 8”; HP........ 25¢ 
—unilaferalis. Tall lavender border type; 2 ft; Wyo; HP . 30¢ 
—auriberbis. Neat rock pl; showy, pale lilac, golden beard; “ . 25¢ 
=f riflorus Linteqrifolivisagin.ccrseeccctes eect . 35a 
—barbatus. Red fis 1” long; 6 ft; UTAH; HP... . 25¢ 
—-—Flat Head Lakes. Clear coral red; blooms 33 . 30¢ 
—-—Hybrids. A French grown strain... PENS-20H. 25¢ 
—Barretieae. Shrubby, rose-purple fis; 1 ft; Hb. cesccccscscsssessscscssescssscsseeee PENS-21. 25¢ 
PENSTEMONS Continued on Page 221. ¥ 
PIONEER SEED COMPANY 
DIMONDALE MICHIGAN 
eae Te 
