60 
June, 1918 
in the open with plenty of room for each 
plant they seldom go down. 
There is a distinct section called Chinese, 
with smaller growth and more finely divided 
foliage. This class includes the Siberian. In 
this class may be had an abundance of clear 
white as well as various shades of blue and 
purple. If kept cultivated in the summer and 
given slight protection in the winter the Del- 
phiniums are very enduring and will stay by 
one for many years. — From Wisconsin Horti- 
culture, published by the Wisconsin State 
Horticultural Society, Madison. 
The Delphinium. 
The improved Delphinium is a stately 
plant. Its spikes from four to seven 
feet tall supply our gardens with a 
wealth of bloom, from June until late 
fall, that would be sadly lacking were 
it not for these magnificent plants. 
They are the easiest culture, and thrive 
in any good garden soil. They are 
single and double, and all the shades of 
blue imaginable. Some have white, 
and others black eyes while others 
have eyes which look very much like a 
large wasp or bee. 
Moerheimi is a a pure white hybrid, 
and the best white yet introduced. 
I believe in a row of seedlings ten 
rods long there would not be two ex- 
actly alike. If they are of the same 
color the eye or the form will be dif- 
ferent. 
If the spikes are cut down as soon as 
they bloom, others will spring up in 
their place and prolong the blooming 
season. 
Last season many of my plants were 
broken off by the wind just as they be- 
gun to bloom, and late in October they 
were a mass of blooms. 
This is one plant which has never 
been injured by our most severe 
winters. 
They can be planted from September 
until late fall or in the spring. 
Willis E. Fryer. 
Germination of Fresh Seeds. 
Much has been written lately on the 
subject of the rest period in seeds, and 
especially on the capacity of seeds of 
certain species to germinate without 
any rest period. The American Bot- 
anist, in reviewing the latter phase of 
the subject, states that in the case of the 
tomato seeds will sprout even when 
taken from green fruit. Beans often 
sprout in the pod if the late summer 
happens to be moist. The mangrove 
is remarkable for the fact that its seeds 
develop into young plants before sep- 
arating from the parent plant. The 
same phenomenon occurs, on a less 
marked scale, in some of the oaks. 
On account of long delay in printing 
the index of The Modern Gladiolus 
Grower for 1917, we are not sending 
it out to all present subscribers, but it 
will be sent to anyone on request. 
Those who have a file of 1917 and need 
the index in connection with it, should 
let us know at once and we will mail 
them a copy. 
whether for decorative planting or cut flow- 
ers. Their coloring is not confined to blue, 
although that shade predominates. Among 
blues probably the Belladonna class is the 
generally favorite. The combination of light 
blue and white takes the lead, but some 
lovely shades of bright and dark blues of this 
class are being developed. If the fading 
flowers are removed the Belladonnas give a 
succession of bloom more quickly than others. 
There is a graceful inclination of the sprays 
to droop, which adds to their attractions. 
The older Delphiniums. Formosa and For- 
mosa Coelestina include nearly the same 
range of shades and markings as the Bella- 
donnas. They are a little more rigid in out- 
line of plant, yet we want them for their 
sturdy beauty. Because of old time associa- 
tions we still like to see the old fashioned 
Bee Larkspur with its brown center, the 
For length of spike of bloom and size of 
flowers some of the newer kinds both double 
and single are truly marvelous. The foreign 
growers send out named varieties which 
should be all alike in each variety but in- 
crease by division is too slow so choice selec- 
tions of such of the varieties are scarce and 
after the first blooming those nearest to type 
are chosen to represent the kind named. 
If seeds are sown early most of the kinds 
will produce flowers the same season. 
There is a blending of pleasure and disap- 
pointment in raising Delphiniums from seeds. 
The disappointment comes so often from 
poor seeds. No other kind of plants more 
easily bears transplanting either in the spring 
or in the summer after the first blooming 
period. Because of storms it is well to be 
prepared to stake the plants, especially if 
they are grown in the shrub border. If grown 
Oljc Slower (Brower 
Delphiniums. 
By William Toole. Sr. 
AMONG decorative plants for outdoor 
J-\ growth there is probably no class more 
-*■ broadly useful than are the Delphiniums. 
Botanically the name includes a number of 
species with hybrids and crosses of both an- 
nuals and perennials. Custom is leading to 
apply the name Larkspur to the annuals and 
Delphiniums to the perennials, although they 
are all Larkspurs and all Delphiniums. 
In this article I chose to consider the per- 
ennial section. We may, as a class, place 
them at the head of all the blue flowers, 
resemblance of a bee crawling into a 
flower. 
Among the newer creations classed as hy- 
brids, especially among the doubles, we are 
given some wonderful combinations of shades, 
including blues and purples with changeable 
rose with or without white centers and hues 
which are indescribable. 
From seed we are not yet able to secure pure 
whites of this class, although there is a white 
variety to be had which continues scarce, 
because it must be increased by division. 
