DIGITALIS, OR FOXGLOVE. DOLICHOS, ETC. 165 



twelve to fifteen inches apart. All the Larkspurs require 

 a deep, rich, moist soil. They do better on the north 

 side of a slope, where they are shaded, rather than in the 

 full blaze of our hot sun. 



DIGITALIS, OK FOXGLOVE. 



The Digitalis, or Foxglove, is not an annual, but is 

 easily grown from seed, and deserves to be more generally 

 cultivated than it now is. The plant throws up several 

 flower-stems, two or three feet in height, each stem be- 

 ing covered at its upper portion with a dozen or more 

 large, well-shaped flowers. 



The seeds may be sown in a hot-bed, or in a box in 

 the house, or in the open ground, but in the latter case 

 no flowers will be obtained the first year, or, if the plants 

 throw \ip any flower-stalks they should be cut off; the 

 next year the plants will be strong, and produce a great 

 profusion of flowers. In the following autumn, or spring, 

 the roots of the plant may be divided, and in this way 

 you will soon have all the Foxgloves you require. The 

 plants may be set out the first year, from twelve to fif- 

 teen inches apart, but the second year they will be thick 

 enough if they stand two to three feet apart. 



DOLICHOS, OR HYACINTH-BEAN. 



The cultivation of this beautiful climber is similar to 

 that recommended for the Lima-bean. The plant grows 

 even taller than the Scarlet Runner, but it is not so hardy; 

 it delights in our hot sun, and should be planted in the 

 warmest and driest soil. Like all rapid-growing plants, 

 it requires an abundance of food, and the soil cannot be 

 too liberally manured. 



