New-York tribune., 1902-03-30
GARDENS OF BEAUTY.
FIELDS OF BRILLIANT BLOOM. THE
WORK OF A WOMAN HYBRIDIZER.

The.beaut1tm gardens OF Nfrs. Theodosia B. shep-
herd are among the attractions Of Ventura blythe
Sea- Cal. Within them are great beds or white.
pink. snauve. crimson and yellow cosmos. long
rows of gorgeous Ferauiur.s and whole hillside or
that divine flower the carnation, in salmon.
pink, scarlet red. white and yellow. many three
or more inches in diameter. There are the stately
palms. Seaforthea elegans; the dwarf fan palms.
the beautiful dracaenas and the rare Australian
tree fern Asophylla- perfumed tuberoses rows
Of waxen camelias rare ferns and orchids ana
wonderful cannas Upon the lath houses grow riot
ouslv the I.eari or Blue Dawn flower the IPomea,
or Heavenly Blue: the startling crimson Lathyrus
splendens or the flaming orange Nenusta and the
splendid effect Of the blaze Of color SHOWS orHl-
iantly in the distance
Irpon the veranda Of the Shepherd home climbs
an immense night blooming cactus the Cereus
triangularus. This plant has grown from the We
randa 10 the roof and chimney, and now bios
SONS luxurantly forty feet IN the air The branches
ha1ten themselves against the house, sending out
long white roots. attaching themselves tightly,
while the stems become hardened, then they loosen
and hang in heavy gray strings. AT their great
height the flowers bloom IN the first part Of July.
opening in the early evening and remaining until
the sun comes out and often on cloudy mornings
they are in full splendor the following day
The flowers Of the night blooming cereus are su-
perb their pale creamy cups full Of silken stamens
which lie in the waxen cups like skeins Of yellow
floss Mrs Shepherd has many varieties and rare
aeraves and sempervfums gasterias-
Mrs. Shepherd went to California in 1873 for her
health settling in Ventura At this time there was
Tot even railroad connection with any market Los
Angeles being reached by staging eighty miles over
mountains. Even the large coast steamers passed
Ventura without landing Yet in this little out Of
the wav town. by degrees-and more by accident
than intention-this flower has built an i'm
rnense seed and bulb growing industry.
.~The growing Of Seeds says Mrs shepherd Is
an
u,oroep as well as men The profits of the seed
Industry are great Tor the world cares for novel
ties OF all sorts. and those who can create a nov
eltv NAV find fortune. while those who simply
raise good seeds can make an excellent living.
..Of all work in Horticulture hybridIzing Is the
most intensely interesting and fascinating. Through
hybridizing and cross-ferUlizing flower dreams be-
rome realities II IS the desire for Improvement
that induces the flower lover to study nature, and
through natures teaching to bring about new
creations The desire for better fruits and vegea-
bles leads the horJicuitur!st TO make combinations
between the flowers Of various trees and plants
that result in delicious fruits and vegetables II Is
The desire for more beautiful flowers, with better
oua that induces the florist to continue patient
work and care Hybridizing and cross-fertiIzing
are a sort OF matchmaking
If one loves the work and carefully observes
natures suggestions for improvement, he will ind
his floral children responding his most beautiful
deals Every year VIII md defects eradicated and
an increase Of beauty, fragrance and grace. II
aoUer has a plain edge. anC frlnged one IS want
ed the hybridst mates il with laciniated
edges and then. II the fringe is not ueep enough,
continues TO bring about these unions LnuI the
sired result has been attained. Stems length
gned or shortened, color is changed single flowers
.ake on ruffles and frils. and that stands
stit5iv upright is made droop modesty. Ia fact,
any change that fancy may dictate Is brought
about by artificial selection. Any flower IDEAL may
3 made real.
"Of course. no two people will work exactly alike.
put nature plastic and susceptible, ana viii
spond to the thought OF ali. Every Hower pos
Tesses possibilities. There Is always tendency in
some direction by observing this tendency IN any
lower. the hybriCIst may, with time, improve ana
alZeble.
he taste for flowers has grown and improved
greatly, with other things, that those who can
bring into existence new and improved types
novelties, ana the best seeds and plants
nay be time "a for their work
liy brlGlZlne crOsS-te-tIlIzlug. is difficult
The mecEanlcs4 Iarls are simple, but when one
ealizes that, through proper understanding Of the
great laws OF reproduction problems which are
puzzles to-day are sure TO be overcome in Tim. he
stands upon the threshold OF a new world"
Ot al the plants with which Mrs Shepherd has
worked the begonias have given her The greafesT