FLORICULTURE 
Ipomoea 
Morning Glory, Moonilower and Cypress 
Vine 
The plants included under the names 
morning glory, moonflower, and cypress 
vine, while all classed together botanical- 
ly, are quite varied in form of flower and 
foliage. Their chief merit rests in the 
fact of their rapid growth and ability to 
cover large spaces in a short time. The 
shoots grow long and are well provid- 
ed with foliage, two factors which adapt 
them well for temporary uses, such as 
covering structures and summerhouses, 
and for immediate effect upon new build- 
ings. All three of the above named types 
grow readily from seed, the morning 
glory and cypress vine both giving good 
returns from seeds sown in rich borders 
about corn planting time. The moon- 
flower can be propagated either from 
seeds sown in a hotbed about the first 
of March in the climate of Washington, 
or from cuttings carried over winter in 
a greenhouse. For best success with the 
Imperial Japanese morning glories and 
the moonflowers the seeds should be 
filed to make a slight aperture in the 
hard, horny covering, or they should be 
soaked for several hours in warm water. 
If these precautions are not observed a 
poor stand will usually be the result. 
Both these groups profit by being start- 
ed in a hotbed or greenhouse in March 
or April, and are then transplanted to 
the open only after all danger of frost 
has passed. 
Larkspur 
Delphinium 
Blue is a comparatively rare color 
among our cultivated plants, and for that 
reason the delphinium, which shows this 
color in great variety, is particularly 
valuable. The brilliant flower spikes can 
be seen from a distance and are striking- 
ly effective in beds or masses, in bor- 
ders, shrubberies, or in combinations with 
white lilies or other plants where a high 
contrast is desirable. The tall sorts 
should be planted among shrubbery or 
used as a background for other low grow- 
ing plants whose bloom will produce a 
pleasing contrast with the larkspur. The 
dwarf types are better suited for bed- 
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993 
ding and for low borders. Improvements 
are continually being made in the size 
of the flowers, as well as in the length 
and fullness of the spikes. Some of the 
species flower both early and late, and 
the season for all can be prolonged by 
care in cutting away withered flower 
stems as fast as they appear. The del- 
phinium is sometimes increased by divi- 
sion, but like most other plants they are 
more robust when grown from seed. This 
plant is easily propagated and adapts 
itself to many conditions, but in a soil 
deeply dug and well enriched with fine 
old manure their blooms are largest and 
best. For best results the plants must 
have ample room to grow; 1% to 2 feet 
each way is not too much for the taller 
sorts. 
Annual Varieties 
These include the rocket and hyacinth- 
flowered larkspurs, so called from their 
long, narrow flower spikes. They bloom 
best in a rather cool, moist soil. The 
seed may be sown in the open border, 
either in spring or fall, preferably the 
latter, so that germination may take 
place very early in spring. As the seed- 
lings grow, thin them to stand 6 to 18 
inches apart, according to variety. The 
shades of color include light, dark, and 
azure blue, white, buff, rose, apple blos- 
som, pink, brick red, red lilac, dark lilac, 
violet, and fawn. The varieties are sel- 
dom kept separate, as they are quite as 
pretty and convenient for cutting when 
sown in mixture. Some of these are real- 
ly hardy biennials, but because they bloom 
the first season they are treated as hardy 
annuals. 
Perennial Varieties 
These are usually taller than the an- 
nuals, requiring more space between the 
plants. If sown in the autumn or very 
early in spring many will bloom the 
first season. The foliage is clean and 
attractive and the habit of growth 
strong, producing long flower spikes. 
Lobelia 
The Erinus varieties (lobelias) are 
charming little plants that bloom very 
quickly from the seed and continue gay 
with flowers all through the season. For 
