390 BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. 
It does not appear to differ from the common Thorn (Crategus Oxyacan- 
tha), excepting in the stipules being lunar-shaped, toothed, and very large, 
and in the period of its flowering. A short time since a gentleman in the 
neighbourhood of Bath had in his garden a stock of an old Hawthorn, on 
which was engrafted several different varieties of the same plant, together 
with the Glastonbury Thorn; none however showed signs of active life 
at the Christmas season, except the latter, which was in full bloom. In 
this case temperature had evidently nothing to do with it; neither was it 
owing to the growth of new spongioles (according to others), since the 
dormant and active grafts are supplied with sap from the same source ; 
it must be therefore from an inherent disposition in the plant itself. It 
is the appointed period when its dormant energies must awake, its or- 
ganic sensibilities be quickened, its circulation be commenced, its secre- 
tions be established,—in short, when its functions shall resume their full 
activity. 15% 
Bath, March, 1856. 
Sir,—On a recent examination of a parcel of plants received last year 
from the London Botanical Society, I have been much struck with the 
appearance of a Fern contributed by Mr. Kirk, of Coventry, and labelled 
by him “ Pteris aquilina”; and I wish, through the medium of your 
pages, to ask him whether he is quite clear as to its being that species. 
The specimens, he says, were of spontaneous origin in an excavation 
made for a plunging-bath at Coventry, and may be supposed to be drawn 
up and attenuated from the peculiarity of the situation; but making al- 
lowance for this, the whole character of the fronds and of their growth 
strikes me as so different from that of Pteris aquilina, that I feel quite 
puzzled, and*shall be glad to know whether Mr. Kirk, or any contributor 
to the ‘ Phytologist,’ can throw more light upon the matter. Since wri- 
ting the above I have found>a notice in Sowerby’s ‘ English Botany’ of a 
delicate variety of P. aguilina, found on moist rocks, etc., near the sea. 
I was not aware that such a variety existed, not having seen it mentioned 
in any other botanical work ; and though probably Mr. Kirk’s plants are 
to be referred to it, they depart so strangely from the common type (in 
growth they more resemble Cryptogramma crispa, though unlike it in 
other respects) that I should still be obliged for information respecting 
them. ‘ ANNA RUSSELL. 
Kenilworth, February, 1856. 
Delphinium cardinale.—Sir,—In the ‘ Botanical Magazine’ for Decem- 
ber, 1855, there is an exquisite drawing and detailed description of this 
beautiful novelty.. It was discovered by Mr. Lobb in California, and in- 
troduced into the gardens of Britain by Messrs. Veitch and Sons, of the 
Exeter and Chelsea Nurseries. We are delighted to see it, because it is a 
handsome species of a genus abounding in deservedly popular flowers ; | 
but chiefly on account of its colour, which is a rich scarlet, except the 
petals, which are deep yellow. The colour of all our Larkspurs hitherto 
known is blue or purple or white. Scarlet and yellow, as colours of Del- 
phinium, have hitherto been unknown. Chromatolcgists tell us that there 
are only two series of colours in flowers, viz. the Cyamic (blue series) and 
the Xanthic (yellow series) [see below]. Will the learned in such matters 
