HINTS FOR THE WILD FLOWER GARDEN.
by
R. M. Senior.

The interest in the cultivation of wild plants in this country is growing by leaps and bounds. People visiting Mesa Verde no doubt frequently wonder whether those flowers in the park, growing at altitudes of 7000 and 8000 feet, can be successfully grown in the eastern states, where the elevations are generally under 1000 feet. It may be interesting to know that most of these plants can be raised, provided proper locations and soil can be obtained for them.

The writer who lives in Ohio, has raised successfully most of the plants growing in this section. His method of procedure is as follows: about the end of the winter, seeds gathered during the previous summer, are sown in cold frames, in a very light porous soil. A glass sash, slightly raised, is kept over the cold frame. The seedlings will often emerge after a few warm days. In the case of some seeds however, germination may not take place for several months — in some few instances not till the second year.

When the seedlings are still very small, they may be transplanted to their permanent quarters; and here a word of caution may be given. Generally speaking high altitude flowers detest wet sticky feet in winter. A heavy clay soil is fatal to them. Therefor it is necessary to prepare a light porous bed; a good mixture would be 1/3 sand, 1/3 ordinary garden loam, 1/3 dark forest soil. With this should be mixed a good percentage of small rock chips, or pepples, which would aid in holding moisture during the hot days of summer, and the roots of wild plants love to cling to and embrace these rock particles.

The novice at this work, will experience some failures; but with a fair degree of persistency, and with a growing knowledge of the idiosyncrasies of the different alpines, his efforts should ultimately be crowned with success.

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