Show M A oil C ki 0 r ti a J A bit of california garden Prep Pr epard avd by national wellington D C servian RE AS of southern california AREAS A which are normally arid have recently burst forth in a riot of colorful wild flowers due dile to the unus unusually bally heavy rainfall california has many showcases for the display of tier her diversified floral wares ware s in the high sierras are the snow plants peeping inquiringly and a bit nervously through the snowcaps snow caps when the first of spring moves the solid pack to mushy activity farther down dowe the slopes lichens mosses sundry family groups of ferns and many varieties of wild flowers merge into the wooded lowlands where especially north of the te mountains the live oak spreads its shapely limbs and often affords protection while adding beauty to the pasture land where herds of fat herefords Here fords browse in the northern part of the state roses grow with little cultivation but with the profusion of goldenrod in Pennsyl pennsylvania vanla no mere bushes suffice for the wealth of blossoms they grow on trees often to a height of 12 feet afeei ar or more and curious results of inter grafted v varieties fleties ile ties are arc sometimes found in freakish but delightful array on a single tree in santa cruz arbors cover the sidewalks of some of them the streets and over these roses intertwined ter twined with geraniums climb a and nd rest in clusters though the cultivated flowers which abound are beautiful and varied all the way from the sand dunes scotch broom and rhododendrons of crescent city which Is almost the last outpost in california before the he redwood highway reaches peaches the oregon line to garden jn in san diego only ft a few miles from the mexican bord border er it Is to the wide open spaces the desert and mountain sides of the southern rn part of the state which we turn in chief appreciation one may see and study the snow plant under the dome of shasta dip into the wonderland of plant and flower life at the experimental farm of the late luther burbank near santa rosa or wander through san F fran ran ciscoe golden gate parl park where he finds practically every variety of flower and plant that will grow under a kindly sun dons party dress in spring in the early spring california dons her party dress and looks her heir best the winter rains have tinted bill hillside side and pasture land a verdant green la in the citrus areas the delicate orange blossom fills the air with its perfume and miles of trees stretch like milk milky ways as far ashe agthe as he eye way may follow in other sections cherry blossoms stage an exhibition the almond trees are indescribably lovely the landscape is filled with color while snow capped peaks are seen through the tree tops this Is cultivated loveliness but one day after a searching rain fol followed loved by warm sunshine a mountain side suddenly bursts into flame a veritable spontaneous combustion literally all outdoors becomes one vast garden of flowers until it seems there Is no end to the colorful panorama the cup of gold as the spaniards called the california poppy Is the queen of wild flowers and the desert I 1 who can look upon apoll the desert in the spring and talk of a barren waste even elven death valley for ages Cali fornias bogy spot a place to be spoken enof of in awed whisper a death trap now has tourist hotels and tent camps desert vegetation exhibits its ltv greatest growth and beauty between february and MY may it includes the yucca and juniper the creosote and quite many varieties of strub shrub and herbage an occasional joshua tree mixed with indian paintbrush a member of the yucca fai family ally i monkey flowers lupine prickly phlox wild buckwheat blazing star sunflower barrel cactus bloom ocotillo antl many others giving for or a season the impression of a flower carpeted world in lush period the desert literally blossoms as the rose although the rose does not ordinarily blossom in the desert the terra term wild flowers does not describe some of this desert flora occasionally casio caslo nally they are savage lowers cowers capable of protecting themselves better than any map made laws could possibly protect them in magnificent color oi in delicacy of to texture of petal the cactus flowers are perhaps perli aps the most wonderful of the california desert blossoms but no one ever came home from the he desert with a handful of cholla flowers or a bouquet of prickly pears look and leave em la Is the safest motto for the cactus has a fiendish defense against all comers california mothers no scenic symphony more marvelous than the yosemite national park with its mighty peaks rugged canyons giant trees waterfalls tumultuously spreading a protecting veil over the rocky outlines of naked clefts rising from the floor of the valley sheer a thousand feet ar or more in the giant sequoia the sugar clr pine ke the western yellow pine the red and white firs and the incense cedar we have in this yosemite region one of the most remarkable groups of conifers in the world it serves serres to give ali the park an interest and charm which gratifies the esthetic sense and stirs deeply the imagination A view of contrasts F from artists point there Is a fine view of the valley and in 10 contrasts in height and depth in verdure and flora near the foot of yosemite falls the largest and most spectacular in the valley the blue blossom commonly called blue lilac grows in profusion the soft coloring blending with the rainbow effects of the torrent broken in its descent to the floor of the valley the yosemite national park which embraces embraces 1100 square miles of ivalle valley y incomparable and scenic mountains offers a rich field for the botanist so great Is the range of natural conditions between foothills and mountain glaciers that one authority estimates that 1200 and varieties of flowers plants and ferns are native to this area though most of these are typical of the entire S sierra er nevada many are exceedingly rare the fragrance odthe of the western azalea Is enhanced by abundant bloom the delicate with its snowy clusters of bri bright glit thick flowers the taller collom la with its dense heads of dainty funnel formed blossoms almost salmon in color the golden ml binl aulus or monkey flower co countless blue flowers such as the lightblue light blue with its whorls in tall stems tall blue forget me nots bots tiny dark blue collin sla the red indian paintbrush the brilliant scarlet mon with lance shaped leaves and funnel formed corolla about one inch long golden buttercups butter cups all go to form the brilliant mosaic of large sheets and pools of color on the valley levels the wide variety ot of conditions ranging from the hot and dry slopes of the brush clad foothills to the bleak summits above timberline the abode abado of glaciers and perpetual snow gives to the flora an exceedingly diverse and interesting character the irregular topography yields southward facing slopes which receive the full effect of the suns rays as well os as northward slopes cool moist and shady where they are little felt the altitude ranges from 2500 feet in the foothill belt to more than feet along the crest of the aler sierra nevada I 1 the first white men who frequented this yosemite hinterland were miners sheep herders gerders her ders and cattlemen then came surveyors and soldiers to guard the mountain meadows and forests and lastly the tourist touris tj at first a little group at long intervals but now in throngs to seo see the glories of the the first systematic reconnaissance nals sance of the region was made by the california geological survey between 1803 and |