FLORA AND SYLVA. 



ACONITUM (MONKSHOOD).- 1 



The most deadly of serpents is not more 

 fatal in its venom than Monkshood : 

 hence good reason for excluding it from 

 the flower-garden, and, indeed, all gar- 

 dens near a house. But some of us do 

 not wish for even venomous wild crea- 

 tures to be wholly exterminated, and 

 for their beauty, some of the Monks- 

 hoods deserve a place — best in some 

 rich, free bottom, near water. The best 

 I have ever seen in effect were in such 

 a place in a coombe in Somerset. In 

 heavy, impervious soil the growth is 

 slow, and the effect is rarely good in 

 the southern and drier counties. The 

 culture is of the simplest and the plants 

 are readily increased by division in win- 

 ter or spring ; seeds are also produced 

 freely, and should be sown as soon as 

 gathered. The plants, however, should 

 be always confined to the wild garden, 

 where in bold masses they will afford 

 much beauty. Kinds of botanical inter- 

 est only are not worth growing where 

 good effects are sought, and those valu- 

 able for the garden are few in number. 



A. Fischeri (Fischer's Monkshood). — As a 

 garden plant this is at once among the best, 

 and well worth growing in any collection of 

 hardy plants. The growth reaches from 4 to 6 

 feet, terminated by a fine panicle of pale blue 

 flowers. It is an autumn-flowering species from 

 Siberia, and is synonymous with A . autumnale. 

 A. californicum is also cited as synonymous 

 with the above. From a garden standpoint, 

 however, it is highly effective and the largest 

 flowered of all the Monkshoods. The colour 

 is a good blue. A. Fortunei (Fortune's Monks- 

 hood), also called A. chinense and A.japonicum, 

 and by the latter is cited in plant lists. The 

 plant is one of the finest in the intense bright 

 blue shade of its flowers, produced on stout 



stems and in large compound panicles, reaching 

 4 feet in height. A. napellus (Common Monks- 

 hood). — This handsome plant, with its nu- 

 merous varieties, is the best known and most 

 grown. Its varieties bicolor and versicolor are 

 pretty in cottage gardens, the two being dis- 

 tinct in their blossoms. Under the head of A. 

 napellus, A. strictum should be mentioned. It 

 is similar in growth, but far more vigorous, 

 and does not flower till late in August. A. 

 Kussvezoffi. — A tall species, 6 feet high, with 

 large dense panicles of pale violet blossoms. A 

 good kind for woodland planting. A. Wilsoni. 

 — A handsome plant, 7 feet high, with an im- 

 mense pyramidal branching habit, came be- 

 fore the Royal Horticultural Society last year 

 I under this name. The plant, I believe, was col- 

 lected in China, but would appear to be nearly 

 allied to A. Fischeri. The flowers are pale blue. 

 A. Cammarum is a blue-flowered species from 

 Central Europe, the panicles usually few- 

 flowered. A well-marked variety of this, A. C. 

 Stcerkianuni) is a fine plant, dwarf in habit, with 

 few flowers, and foliage not unlike that of 

 the Fair Maids of France. A. heterophyllum. — 

 A distinct Himalayan species with pale yel- 

 low blossoms shaded with blue at the front. 

 The finely cut foliage of many species is re- 

 placed by broadly cordate and toothed leaves ; 

 it is also sai4 to be non-poisonous. Height 

 i\ feet. A. orientale (Eastern Monkshood). — 

 With creamy yellow flowers, from Caucasus, 

 Persia. A plant of tall growth, and heavily dis- 

 sected leaves in some of its forms approaching 

 A. lycoctonum, the Yellow Monkshood. A. un- 

 ci natum is a tall grower, 6 feet or more high, 

 from North America, with lilac-blue flowers 

 in loose racemes ; an excellent kind for the 

 wild garden. A. variegatum. — A well-known 

 species, and with its varieties, bicolor and albi- 

 Jlorum, frequently seen in gardens. Two of its 

 varieties, bicolor and albijiorum are among the 

 most effective for grouping in wild places. A 

 new variety, known asvf. volubile, is worthy of 

 mention as being likely to prove very useful 

 for this class of work. It is exceedingly vigo- 

 rous, reaching 7 or 8 feet in height, with mas- 

 sive spikes of clear blue flowers, and its whole 

 aspect bold and effective. There is such a rich 

 choice of good yellow flowers for gardens that 



With coloured plate from a drawing by H. G. Moon. 



