294 



CASSELL'S POPULAE GAEDENING. 



l)oxes, or in beds of fine soil in the open ground, and 

 when the plants are large enough, transplanted to 

 where they have to flower. The plants should not 

 he starved ; they shoiild he in a rich deep loam, where 

 they can root freely, and then they flower very finely. 

 There are a few double varieties that are esteemed 

 because more lasting in character, but they are not 

 nearly so showy as the single forms. One, a dwarf- 

 growing and very free-fiowering bright crimson- 

 coloured variety, is very showy in the open border. 

 In the market gardens round London a dark reddish- 

 leaved single variety is grown, which is sometimes 

 used for filling flower-beds in. spring. 



Mule Pinks. — There is a group of Mule Pinks of 

 a very showy and useful character. They are grouped 

 under the head of Diant/ms hybridus, and include 

 several varieties of different shades of colour, bearing 

 medium-sized double flowei-s. In habit of growth they 

 greatly resemble the Sweet "William, and they have 

 probably been obtained from a cross between the Car- 

 nation and the Sweet William. They are of vigorous 

 growth, and very free-blooming, and make excellent 

 border plants. They are more persistent in flowering 

 than some other members of the Dianthus tribe, in 

 that they throw up successional flower-stems. The 

 varieties can be increased by means of cuttings, and 

 division of the roots. The colours are varied — from 

 pale pink to deep crimson through many pleasing 

 shades. They are mainly of Continental origin, and 

 new varieties occasionally come to England from 

 abroad. Some of these Mule Pinks should find a 

 place in the border of hardy plants. A few of the 

 best varieties are — Marie Pare, Multiflorus, High- 

 clere. Napoleon III., Eosetta, and Striatiflorus. 



Indian Pinks. — These are varieties of . D. chinensis, 

 the China Pink, which was introduced in 1713. It 

 has become greatly improved during the past few 

 years ; there are now a great number of varieties of 

 varied colours, both double and single, and all worthy 

 a place in the garden. Those who have to supply 

 cut flowers should make a practice of having a line 

 or small bed of this useful Dianthus, which, though 

 classed with the biennials, can be treated as an annual, 

 for if the seeds are sown in the open air in early 

 spring the plants will flower the following summer, 

 and they keep blooming until quite late in the year ; 

 the more they are cut, the more flowers are produced. 

 There is a larger-flowered form of the Indian Pink, 

 known as BiantMis chinensis Heddewigii ; it was 

 raised by Mr. Heddewig, of St. Petersburg, about 

 1858 or 1859, and represented a very large-flowering 

 single Indian Pink, of great beauty, and with smooth 

 edges to the petals. As it seeded freely, seedlings 

 were soon obtained from it, and one of the earliest 

 was laciniatus, having very handsome fringed flowers. 

 Seedlings were found to show a great variety of 



colours and character; and later on double forms 

 began to appear, and they reproduced themselves 

 from seed. We think the single forms preferable to 

 the double, and a few of the former have proved so 

 fine in character that they have been named, such as 

 Crimson Belle, Brilliant, Eastern Queen, &c., aH very 

 beautiful ; Brilliant is remarkable for its rich ver- 

 milion hue. Seed of these fine forms should be sown 

 in early spring on good soil in the open ground, the 

 plants thinned out, and then they wiO flower finely 

 during the summer. 



DelpMniums. — These are known as the peren- 

 nial Larkspurs, and the name was given from delphin, 

 a dolphin, because of the supposed resemblance of the 

 spur of the flower to a dolphin's head. D. elatum is 

 the Bee Larkspur; and was introduced from Siberia 

 nearly 300 years ago. As far back as 1817 one of the 

 most reliable catalogues of plants published at that 

 time gives only nine species and varieties, but since 

 that time there has been a great increase, and new 

 varieties are constantly being raised both at home 

 and abroad. It would be very difficult to trace back 

 the descent of these, but we may fairly assume that 

 they are the result of crossing the different species 

 and varieties, and so obtaining new types. There 

 are now in cultivation nearly one hundred varieties, 

 mostly of great beauty, all hardy in character, vary- 

 ing in colour and size of the flowers — some double 

 and some single, some tall-growing and some dwarf- 

 growing — stately plants, flowering freely, very showy, 

 and producing magnificent spikes of bloom. 



The culture of the Delphinium can be set forth in 

 a few words. It succeeds best on a rich, deep, mellow 

 loam, where the plants have ample space in which to 

 develop themselves. If left alone for a few years 

 they grow into very strong plants, but they are 

 greatly helped by being mulched with manure in 

 spring and autumn. In order to have fine spikes of 

 flower, it is best to lift and re-plant once in two or 

 three years, digging and well manuring the ground. 

 An open and sunny spot suits the Delphinium best, 

 but it should be of a character of soil into which the 

 plants can strike their roots deeply, or they will be 

 apt to suffer during a time of drought. If any one 

 wishes to enjoy the Delphinium they would do well 

 to plant a bed of different varieties, placing the tallest 

 in the middle, and the dwarfer-growing varieties 

 round the sides. In dry weather the plants must be 

 freely watered, and a mulching of leaves and dung 

 during the summer will greatly help to keep the soil 

 cool and moist. 



As Delphiniums are generally free seeders, young 

 plants can be raised from seeds. It is not very often 

 resorted to, perhaps, because the named varieties in 

 cultivation are so handsome and good that people find 



