Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-07
H0RTICUI TURE is MAINSTAY OF SOUTHLAND
Eugene Germain Traces the Mar
velous Development That Has
Taken Place Within the Past
Forty Years, Thanks to an In
genious and Energetic 1mmi-
grafton
By EUGENE GERMAN

lEA "a A6tI cluster lily C. 'odiaea cap
H-=- itata), Mariposa lily (Cal-
ochortus Catalinae) and
others, have disappeared from the OLD
haunts on the hills that were then on
the outskirts of the city. These same
hills have long since been surveyed,
cut up into lots and used for building
sites. Where once these flowers grew
there are now many homes with green
lawns, palms and other seml-tropical
plants, for which this city Is famed
But these wild flowers still grow In
abundance on the hills further back
from the city, in Griffith and Elysian
parks and other localities, where the
plow has not yet broken up the ground.
Few people realize 1t, nevertb less 1t
is fact that the horticulturg world
is indebted to California for many OF
it's most valuable plants. .rst ana
foremost may be mentioned the ever
popular California poppy (Eschscholt-
zia Californica), or Copa de ORC, cup
of Gold" as II was termed in early
days by the Spanish. This flower Is
almost as eagerly sought after and
priced by ourselves as by the tourists
who visit our city. In cultivation there
are as many as eight distinct varieties
of 1t, including the yellow, orange,
orange and yellow, white, pink, semi
double form of the white and yellow,
and, last of all, the variety raised by
Mr.. Burbank, which is deep rose
color.
Then there is the Matilda poppy
(Romneya CoulterD with its immense
blooms. often seven inches across, of
purest white with yellow centers. 1t
often has been termed the Queen OF
California" flowers, and surely Is de-
serving OF this title. for 1t has no
rival. This plant has been largely
cultivated in England and other coun-
tries, and is in great favor
The Spanish Dagger (Yucca whip
plei) is truly a majestic flower, raising
it's immense stem eight to twelve feet
in the air. with flower spikes four and
six feet long. composed of hundreds OF
large, creamy-white flowers. There Is
something grand about these plants
when in flower in early summer. as
they stand like so many white soldiers
stationed on our hillsides.
Another flower which must be mem
toned is the scarlet 1arkspur (Dei-
phinium cardinale). with its long
spikes OF vivid scarlet flowers
Bartonia aurea Glazing starr is
flower also much cultivated in Europe,
but a native of our state. 1t has large,
rice, golden-yellow flowers, almost as
large as poppy.
Two lilies of which we may be Justly
proud are Lilium Humboldt. the native
tiger lily. a stately plant growing to
orange-colored flowers spotted with
amroon, and Lilium Parryl which has
lemon-yellow fragrant blossoms.
The baby blue eyes (nemophilla in
signia) must not be forgotten. with its
delicate sky blue flowers.
The lupins, godetias, clarkias, gilias.
collnsia and a great many more are
all members of our flora, but space
will not permit of their mention in de-
tail.
New Varieties Developed
In looking packard upon the foricul-
ture OF early days in California 1t Is
very interesting to note the many
changes and developments from the
then extremely limited varities of gar
den plants No doubt full account of
this development would be interesting
TO many, but for lack of space / VIII
go into It more fully later and now
simply mention some of the introduce
tions of most Importance.
: Carnation growing was then in its
infancy; 1t has since developed to such
proportions that 1t has become a dis
tinct industry, a fact of which South
ern California may be Justly proud.
In roses the advent of the pink and
white Maman Cochet marks an era of
great Importance. These two varieties
are perhaps the most popular of the
day. Kaiserin Augusta Victoria, white;
Madam Abel Chatenay, salmon pink;
Clara Watson. blush pink; Gruss an
TepHtz. deep crimson; Marie Van
Houtee, yellow: Ulrich Drummer. cherry
red, and Paul Neyron, deep rose color,
are the roses most generally grown to-
day, while of the very latest introduce
tions may be mentioned Frau Karl
Druschki, which is a beautiful clear
white; Etoille de France. deep glowing
crimson; Killarney, bright carmine
pink marbled with white, and Franz
Deegen, deep orange yellow.
The cannas of early times, with their
small. insignificant flowers cannot be
compared with those of today with
their immense trusses. OF these new
varieties one, at least, Is of home
production, the Miss Kate Gray, which
has magnificent flowers of rich orange
scarlet overlaid with gold and large
handsome foliage.
OF the ever popular geranium there
are many varieties, one of the most i'm
portant introductions being Charles
Turner the ivy-leafed pink variety
which Is now seen almost everywhere
in Southern California. In scarlet ge-
raniums John Forbes is a later intro
duction and has certainly come to stay.
The sweet pea is, of course, flower
which has been greatly improved, the
new large fiowered types taking the
place of the old small ones
In Dubious plants the Watsonia is re-
markable with its large spikes of flow
ers of purest white. The yellow Gala,
the gladiolus, America, which Is
beautiful shade of pink, and many vari-
eties of amaryllis are of no less i'm
portance.
one flower which must not be forgot
ten. and one Of the most striking of all,
is the Gerbera Jamesoni (Transvaal
daisy, with flowers In shape like a
marguerite but of vivid fiery scarlet
color And. last Of all. the beautiful
new decorative palm, Phoenix Roebele-
nj. which Is a very small species of
date palm from Siam. with finely cut.
graceful leaves. It is much harder
than the Cocos Weddelliana, and no
doubt will take the place of this species
as house plant
These remarks on ornamental horti-
culture might be continued indefinitely,
Dut space forbids at this time. Suffice
1t to say that In my judgment our ag-
ricultural development Is only In its
infancy; its expansion is only just be-
ginning.