COLUMBINES 63 



exact likeness of the white parent, no matter what 

 the form or the colours of the other parent may have 

 been. There is also a very pretty marbled blue and 

 white variety of Aquilegia vulgaris, no doubt that 

 which Parkinson speaks of as party-coloured blue 

 and white and spotted very variably. There is a 

 dwarf form with dark blue double flowers, a variety 

 with leaves mottled with yellow, and one called Witt- 

 manniana with purple and white flowers. The double 

 varieties are sometimes neat and curious, but not 

 so beautiful in form as the single. 



The species which has been most valuable in hybrid- 

 izing is Aquilegia caerulea, a most beautiful plant from 

 the Rocky Mountains, with large blue and white 

 flowers and very long spurs. It only grows about a 

 foot high, and is more delicate both in appearance 

 and in constitution than most columbines. It does 

 not usually flourish for very long in our gardens, and 

 often begins to dwindle away after flowering well 

 for two years. Luckily, it can be raised very easily 

 from seed, although it is sometimes rather difficult 

 to obtain a strain of seed that comes true. It is said, 

 indeed, that seed always should come from its native 

 home, and some seedsmen sell seed directly imported. 

 The seed should be sown in spring, so that the plants 

 may be strong enough to plant out in their permanent 

 homes in early autumn. If they are planted out late, 

 they often succumb to our winters. Where the soil 

 is heavy and cold, they should be planted out in 

 spring. Aquilegia caerulea likes a light, rich soil with 



