DELPHINIUM. THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. DELPHINIUM. 439 



Late autumn division is not advisable. 

 Delphiniums can be made to bloom 

 for several months by continually 

 cutting off the spikes immediately after 

 they have done flowering. If the 

 central spike be removed, the side 

 shoots will flower, and by thus cutting 

 off the old flowers before they form 



Delphinium. 



seeds we cause fresh shoots to issue 

 from the base, and to keep up a 

 succession of bloom. Another plan is 

 to let the shoots remain intact until 

 all have nearly done flowering, and 

 then to cut the entire plant to the 

 ground, when in about three weeks 

 there will be a fresh bloom. In this 

 case, however, to keep the plants from 

 becoming exhausted, they must have 

 a heavy dressing of manure or manure- 

 water. Top-dressings keep the soil 



cool and moist, give the plants a 

 healthier growth, increase the number, 

 and improve the quality of the flowers. 



The following is a selection of the 

 good kinds : Belladonna grandiflora, 

 Blue King, Capri, China Blue, Con- 

 spicua, formosum, Lamatino, Mcer- 

 heimi (valuable pure white), Mr J. S. 

 Brunton, Persimmon, Queen Mary, 

 Twertonia, and Royal Blue. Double 

 Varieties. Ampere, Col. Sir Wynd- 

 ham Murray, Chantry Queen, Dusky 

 Monarch, Elsie, Harry Smetham, 

 James W. Kelway, King of Del- 

 phiniums, Lavanda, Le Danube, Lizzie 

 Van Veen, Monarch of All, Mrs A. J. 

 Watson, Mrs Colin M'lver, Mrs H. 

 Kaye, Mrs Shirley, Perfection, Queen 

 Wilhelmina, Robert Cox, Rev. E. 

 Lacelles, Statuaire Rude, The Alake, 

 Willy O'Breen, Walter T. Ware. The 

 beautiful old double variety D. grandi- 

 florumfl.-pl. is one of the most charming 

 of border plants. 



The best of the numerous perennial 

 species distinct from the hybrids are : 

 D. cashmerianum, with flowers nearly 

 as large as those of D. formosum, and 

 with stems about 15 inches in height. 

 D. cashmerianum is well suited for the 

 border or for a large rockery ; in either 

 case perfect drainage is essential, and 

 this is best attained in rock garden 

 culture. Its branches have a prostrate 

 habit, apparently adapting it to such 

 conditions. It is best increased from 

 seed. D. cardinale is a beautiful 

 species of tall growth, hav ng bright 

 scarlet flowers, like those of D. 

 nudicaule. It blossoms later in sum- 

 mer, and continues longer in flower 

 than D. nudicaule, owing in part to 

 its slower development. It is a most 

 desirable plant, and as hardy as D. 

 nudicaule. Seedlings will probably not 

 flower till the second season. In very 

 damp soil it would be prudent in winter 

 to protect the root with a hand-light 

 or inverted pot. >. chinense is distinct 

 from other Larkspurs, and is neat and 

 rather dwarf in growth, having finely 

 cut feathery foliage, and freely pro- 

 ducing spikes of large blossoms, usually 

 of a rich blue-purple, but sometimes 

 white. It is a good perennial, is easily 

 raised from seed, and continues to 

 flower throughout the summer till late 

 in autumn. It is suited for borders 

 and beds. D. nudicaule has scarlet 

 blossoms, a dwarf, compact, branching 

 growth, a hardy constitution, and a 

 free blooming habit, i to 3 feet high. 

 The flowers are in loose spikes, each 



