THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



decayed manure. A large plant with from 20 to 40 spikes is a splendid object in the 

 garden, especially when well grown, with the spikes towering 8 or 9 feet high. 

 Good supplies of water are required. A distance of 3 to 5 feet may be left between 

 the plants, which, generally speaking, ought to be planted in the back row of the 

 border, or in a bed by themselves. 



In order to make a pleasing bed of perennial larkspurs, it is necessary to have 



some experience of their heights in the garden in 

 which they are planted. They vary much in this 

 feature, and in some gardens will be seen 2 or 

 3 feet higher than in others. Unless they can 

 be obtained in large clumps, it is better to procure 

 them in spring than in autumn. Slugs are very 

 destructive to these plants in some gardens ; newly 

 planted ones being more liable to injury from this 

 cause than others. Ashes placed round the stools 

 and a dusting of quicklime will help to ward off 

 their attacks. Unless in gardens exceptionally 

 well sheltered from high winds, delphiniums need 

 to be well staked. The flower-stems are very 

 brittle, and if neglected in an early stage difficult 

 to deal with. It is thus advisable to put stakes 

 in early, attaching the stems to them with raffia 

 or bass, as they grow. 



The hybrid larkspurs flower naturally in June 

 or July, but for some purposes it is desirable to 

 have them in bloom later. They may be cut 

 down nearly to the ground after making some 

 growth, or even until showing the flowers. They 

 will then make fresh growth and bloom in autumn. When the central spike has done 

 flowering it may be removed, when the side spikes will continue in flower for some 

 time. Late spikes are frequently produced from the plants if cut down after the 

 ordinary bloom has faded. 



The delphinium is propagated in several ways. The simplest is by division of the 

 crowns and roots in spring, just after growth has begun. The young growths may 



Fig. 12. Delphiniums. 



