40 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
large circular flowers, rich shade of clear sky-blue with bold white 
centres. 
' Duke of Connaught/ immense spikes, rich gentian-blue, bold 
white centre. 
' Queen Mary/ large circular flowers, striking shade of rich azure- 
blue with conspicuous white centres. 
' Rev. E. Lascelles.' This variety has gained great popularity 
partly on account of its dwarf habit, well-set spikes, large circular 
flowers, rich blue with a striking white centre. 
' La France/ One of the most distinct that has come under my 
notice, and when established producing branching spikes 2 to 3 
feet across, flowers soft lavender and sky-blue. 
' Moerheimi,' the first and only pure white variety that has come 
under my notice. This is a plant of great merit, and when associated 
with the blue varieties is very effective for bedding and border 
decoration. 
' Bella Donna/ an old and popular favourite, whose origin is veiled 
in obscurity. For bedding purposes this and its varieties are unique, 
growing 2 J to 3 feet, and flowering throughout the whole summer. 
Mr. G. Gibson of Bedale was the first to raise seedlings from it in his 
garden during the summer of 1899, and many varieties are now 
in cultivation superior in colour and constitution. The finest are 
' Mrs. Brunton/ ' Mrs. Thompson/ ' Grandiflora/ and ' Mrs. G. 
Gibson/ 
Notwithstanding the great popularity of this interesting family, 
hybridists have not yet interested themselves, consequently hybrids 
are practically unknown. During 1914 an interesting series was 
raised and distributed by V. Lemoine of Nancy by crossing Delphinium 
datum and D. tatsiense, a Chinese species of recent introduction. 
These pretty hybrids will command attention when better known. 
They are remarkably free-flowering, and admirably adapted for bedding 
and cutting purposes. 
Among the species now in cultivation, D. cardinale is without a 
doubt one of the most handsome, revelling in a moist, well-drained 
sandy soil, and when established growing 6 feet high, with branching 
stems smothered with brilliant orange-scarlet coloured flowers. 
Another charming species is D. Zalil, introduced from Afghanistan 
about 1887, and extensively used in Persia for dyeing silks. I 
have been most successful with this plant, growing it 5 to 6 feet high 
in stiff, heavy loam in the driest part of my garden. The whole forms 
a neat feathery bush smothered with pale-yellow flowers. 
D. formosum is extensively grown by our market men for cutting 
purposes. It has a neat habit and attractive olive-green foliage, with 
somewhat flat heads of rich purple flowers. 
D. cashmirianum, a species of great merit, neat symmetrical bushes 
covered with soft blue flowers — a very pretty subject for the rockery. 
D. nudicaule is a dwarf Calif ornian species growing about 15 inches 
high, revelling in a sunny position in the rockery or border, neat 
