190 BEECK'S NEW BOOK OF FLO WEES. 



Bee Larkspur. It sends up a stem from three to five feet 

 high, much branched at the top, covered in June and 

 July with innumerable dark-blue flowers, partaking some- 

 what of the character of the Bee Larkspur. Propagated 

 by divisions of the root. 



D. grandiflorum. Great-flowered. One of the most 

 showy of the genus, sporting into many varieties. Its 

 height is from two to three feet, and continues from June 

 to October to give a succession of flowers, which are large, 

 of a fine light or dark-blue, purple and white, "and often 

 spotted or shaded on each petal with copper color on the 

 dark varieties, or with green on the white. Leaves 

 palmate, (hand-shaped,) many parted. It is propagated by 

 dividing the roots in the spring, about the time it begins 

 to vegetate ; or it may be divided with success in August. 

 By sowing the seed, new varieties may be expected, which, 

 planted early, will flower feebly and show the character of 

 the flower in autumn. Nothing is more pleasant, than to 

 originate a new variety. It must not be supposed, how- 

 ever, that there will be much chance of any improvement 

 in more than one or two in a hundred plants. It has 

 flourished with me in a great variety of soils. It will, in 

 fact, grow anywhere without difficulty, only requiring to 

 be divided every few years, when the roots become large. 

 This species is a native of Siberia. A seedling of this 

 species was raised by the late Wm. E. Carter, of the Bo- 

 tanic garden, which was named in honor of him D. Oar- 

 terii, and is now in my possession. The flowers are double, 

 sky-blue, a very fine variety. I wish I could say the same 

 of my much admired seedling D. JSreckii^ which. I fear is 

 lost. It was perfectly hardy for many years, and at one 

 time I had a large stock of it ; it was also extensively dis- 

 seminated, but now I fear, it is numbered among the 

 things that were, as mine are all lost, and all in my neigh- 

 borhood have died also. Formerly I had large stools of 



