DATURA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. DELPHINIUM. 519 



readily raised, in an ordinary hot-bed ; 

 the young plants while small should be 

 pricked out singly in pots, and finally 

 planted out where they are to stand. 

 They need ample space for their full 

 growth, and should be grown in light 

 warm soils. 



The plants hitherto known as Brug- 

 mansia are now considered to belong to 

 Datura. 



They are of easy cultivation, and soon 

 make large plants. The best way of 

 growing is as standards, so that their long 

 drooping flowers may be better seen. In 

 the flower-garden a sheltered but sunny 

 position should be chosen. The plants 

 may be safely put out about the end of 

 May in good warm soil. It would be 

 best to pot them into large pots or tubs, 

 and turn them out of these, as thus treated 

 they would not die back so far in the 

 winter, and when planting time again 

 came round the growth would be stronger. 

 When in a house either in tubs or in the 

 border, an annual pruning should be given 

 early in the spring, and they should be 

 kept within bounds. Under glass the 

 chief enemy is green-fly, but fumigation 

 soon disposes of this. For the open 

 border of a large house a few standards 

 with stems 8 ft. or so in height make a 

 grand show. Their propagation is simple, 

 the young shoots being merely taken off 

 in spring and struck in a gentle heat, one 

 cutting in a small pot. Grow them on as 

 fast as possible, keeping them to the one 

 stem until of good height. They will 

 yield a few flowers the first autumn when 

 planted out, but as they get older they 

 flower more profusely, the growth being 

 less luxuriant. When planted out in the 

 open ground, they are best as centre plants 

 to fairly large beds, with a carpet of dwarf 

 things under them. They should not be 

 smothered up, the example of D. cor- 

 nigera (Brugmansia Knighti) in the illus- 

 tration being an instance of good effect 

 when not overcrowded. This is one of 

 the best varieties, with many large 

 handsome double flowers. It is more 

 robust and compact in growth than 

 other kinds, its leaves too of a darker 

 green. D. suaveolens, another good 

 white variety, is a profuse bloomer, its 

 flowers being perhaps larger than those 

 of D. cornigera, but single. D. san- 

 guinea has flowers of a deep orange- 

 yellow tinged with green towards the 

 base ; it does not flower quite so freely as 

 the white kinds, but should be grown for 

 its distinct character. There is also a 

 double yellow variety of D. chlorantha, 

 which is free-flowering and well worth 

 growing, being pleasing in pots. 



Some years ago, at Nuneham Park, 

 Oxford, D. suaveolens was used with good 

 effect in the flower garden during summer 

 and autumn. Mr. Stewart, the gardener, 

 used to raise plants annually by striking 

 cuttings in autumn in bottom heat. They 

 were potted as soon as rooted, and kept 

 growing gently in a warm greenhouse all 

 through the winter. About the end of 

 February they were placed in an atmo- 

 sphere of about 55, when they were 

 encouraged to grow freely. As soon as 

 the roots appeared above the surface, 

 liquid manure and sometimes a top- 

 dressing of old cow manure were given. 

 They were kept growing on in this way 

 until the middle of May, when they were 

 2^ ft. high, after which they were gradually 

 hardened off, and during a dull time taken 

 out-of-doors, placed in a sheltered corner, 

 and screened from the sun before being 

 planted out. Out-of-doors the plants 

 flowered freely, and gave off a sweet 

 perfume during the evenings in July and 

 August. 



Species. D. arborea, S. America. ' cerato- 

 caula, tropical America, chlorantha. cornigera, 

 Mexico, discolor, Mexico, dtibia. erinacea, 

 Brazil. fastuosa ferox, China, floribunda, 

 S. America, inermis, Abyssinia. Leichhardti, 

 Australia. Metel, tropical countries, nieteloides, 

 W. America. microcarpa. nigra, Malaya. 

 prcecox. quercifolia, Mexico, sanguinea, S. 

 America. scandens, Brazil. Stramonium ^ 

 common everywhere. suaveolens, Mexico. 

 trapezia, India. 



DECUM ARIA. Two species of this 

 interesting genus are in cultivation ; both 

 are hardy, and useful climbers for walls 

 and buildings. D. barbara, a native of 

 Carolina, where it is found in shady 

 places along the margins of swamps, is 

 a very elegant plant. The branches 

 cling to the wall by small rootlets, 

 as in the Ivy, and when allowed to 

 ramble at will are very grotesque, ascend- 

 ing trees or walls to a considerable 

 height, and requiring no nailing and little 

 attention. The flowers are in large 

 bunches in May and June, pure white and 

 fragrant, resembling Hydrangea. D. sinen- 

 sis is a native of Central China, and a 

 beautiful hardy species. It is a climber, 

 and was found by Dr. Henry covering 

 the cliffs of the Ichang Gorge with 

 clusters of fragrant white flowers. 



DELPHINIUM (Larkspur). Few 

 plants contribute so much to the beauty of 

 the garden as these fine plants of the 

 Crowfoot Order. There are in cultivation 

 many species, both annual and perennial, 

 but the most important are the tall hybrid 

 perennials, of which there are many 

 varieties with a wonderful range of lovely 

 colour. They are very valuable for their 



