240 POPULAR GARDEN FLOWERS 



results with Delphiniums on heavy land by following 

 this course. 



A later experience with light, fibreless land overlying 

 chalk taught me the full value of deep clay. At the 

 same time, it taught me that the perennial Larkspurs 

 can be made to thrive on poor, thin ground. The course 

 to pursue is to break up the chalk and cover it with 

 green refuse, then to dig the surface soil to the last 

 fraction of an inch, and interlard it with rich decayed 

 manure from a stable or farm-yard. It is a good plan 

 to do this in autumn, and add a light dressing of manure 

 in spring, in the form of a mulching over the soil when 

 the plants have been put in. The owner of light, shallow 

 ground is favoured, so far as his plants are concerned, if 

 a wet summer follows the planting. If not, let him give 

 good soakings of water and liquid manure now and 

 again. 



The Delphinium is a poor, ineffective plant when 

 badly grown ; in fact, it is almost unsightly, as the 

 foliage becomes flabby and dingy, the spikes are small, 

 and the flowers are soon over. In such a state it is not 

 worth the space that it occupies. We must remember 

 that the Delphinium is an early blooming plant, and we 

 can only have it in flower all the summer by giving good 

 treatment and cutting it back after blooming. 



At its best it has no rival, for there is no plant of the 

 same character. It gives us the coveted colour blue, and 

 gives it generously. It gives us blues as shining as Salvias, 

 others as dense as Gentians, others as brilliant as Sweet 

 Peas, others as clear of eye as Forget-me-nots. No 

 hardy plant gives the splendid range of blues that we 

 get in the perennial Larkspur. And the plant has lofty 

 stature, massive spikes, to recommend it. The stems 

 rise to six feet high or more in good soil. They are as 



