140 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. { August 12 , isso. 
acres of fruit trees in a pitiable condition, the trees in many 
instances having been considerably injured bjr the late unfavour¬ 
able summers and severe winters. There did not appear to be 
enough fruit to pay the rent of the ground.—G. Abbey. 
DELPHINIUMS. 
This extensive genus includes annual, biennial, and perennial 
species. The greater number belong to the latter section, and 
the majority are possessed of great beauty. The generic name is 
derived from the supposed resemblance of the spur to the head of 
a dolphin. The English name comes from the long spur re¬ 
sembling the hind claw of the skylark, and Bee Larkspur from 
the resemblance to the body of a large bee, which the yellow and 
black marginal hairs of the petals bear to that insect. Delphi¬ 
niums somewhat resemble Aconites, but are readily distinguished 
by the prolonged spur of the calyx, which in Aconites assumes 
the shape of a hood ; and they are destitute of the two peculiar 
mallet-like petals which are such a conspicuous feature in that 
genus. The fruit consists of one to five many-seeded follicular 
carpels. As ornamental border plants they have few equals. The 
prevailing colour is blue, and the shades of this in many instances 
is of such dazzling brilliancy as to render them general favourites. 
Many are strong-growing plants, and require support to keep 
them from being beaten down by wind and rain. This, however, 
must be done carefully and neatly, or they will be robbed of half 
their charms. The soil they delight in is rich loam or deep garden 
soil—not stiff loam, but what may be termed rich friable sandy 
soil. They are natives of Europe, Asia, and North America. 
B. Ajacis. —This name by some of the old authorities is written 
Aiacis, and is derived from the more or less striking marks on the 
petals resembling the letters A 1 A 1 . The beautiful Rocket Lark¬ 
spurs are improved garden varieties of this species, much care 
having been bestowed upon them by the Germans. The different 
forms vary in height from 1 to 2 feet or more, and present a pleasing 
variety of colour. The seed should be sown where the plants are 
intended to flower, as they do not like transplanting. Sow in 
March or April according to the season, and thin out to about 
6 inches apart. There are numerous forms with both single and 
double flowers. It was introduced to EDgland in its original 
form upwards of three hundred years ago from South of Europe. 
B. alojjccuroides. —This is a dwarf perennial form of garden 
origin. The leaves are palmately lobed, and the trusses or spikes 
of bloom are long and very dense. Flowers rather small, double, 
bright blue tinted with rose. July and August. 
B. Barlowii is a very fine garden form, which does not pro¬ 
duce seed. It grows from to 3 feet high. Flowers large, semi¬ 
double, dark blue, shaded with bronze, with orange centre. July. 
D. Brunonianum. —This fine plant is very rare ; it is also 
peculiar from the very strong musky odour which pervades it. It 
attains a height of from 6 to 12 inches. Lower leaves stalked, 
reniform in outline, but divided into deeply cut segments ; upper 
leaves tripartite. Flowers large, light blue, shading to purple on 
the margins ; centre black. June and July, and dies down rapidly 
after flowering. Native of Western Thibet, at 14-18,000 feet 
elevation. 
D. Beatsonii. —Flowers in dense branching spikes’; individual 
flowers large and very double, intensely rich deep violet blue in 
colour with reddish centre. Height about 2 feet. July. 
B. Belladonna. —Although an old border variety this is still 
one of the very best; it is quite barren, and consequently there 
is no means of increase save by division. It is very compact in 
habit, the usual height being about 2 feet. The flowers are large 
and of a lovely sky blue, a colour which attracts and pleases every 
one. It commences to bloom about July, and maintains a good 
succession. 
D. cashmerianvni .—A very handsome species, attaining a height 
of 12 to 18 inches. Leaves stalked, palmated with acute lobes, 
somewhaflcoriaceous in texture and bright green above. Individual 
flowers large, rich deep azure blue, with black and green centre. 
July. Native of the western Himalayas at 12,000 to 15,000 feet 
elevation. 
B. Consolida. —The wild Larkspur of the English fields from 
which the beautiful varieties, both single and double-flowered, of 
what are termed branching Larkspurs have been raised. These 
beautiful annual flowers should be sown where they are intended 
to bloom, for they dislike transplanting, if sown in autumn they 
are sufficiently hardy to withstand our ordinary winters and come 
into bloom in spring ; from the spring sowing they flower in June 
and J uly. 
B. datum. —From this plant, originally introduced from Siberia, 
we have now an immense number of garden varieties far surpass¬ 
ing the normal type in beauty. From amongst these we may 
specially notice amabilis, a very ornamental variety for the back 
row in a border. Height about 5 feet, with a dense branching 
spike of azure blue flowers shaded with rosy lilac, with orange 
and white centre. Coronet, height 2 feet. An abundant and 
continuous bloomer. Flowers rich deep blue, orange and purple 
centre. Herman Stenger, height 4 feet. Bright violet blue ; 
centre petals rosy pink. Spikes dense and branching. Flowers 
very double. Prince of Wales, a semi-double variety, about 4 feet 
high, producing long dense spikes. Flowers azure blue; centre 
white. Nahamah, height 3 to 4 feet. A wonderful free-branching 
variety. Spikes dense. Flowers large, dark blue tinged with 
bronze; centre orange brown. M. Le Bihan, height 3 to 4 feet. 
Spikes very dense. Flowers large and semi-double, bright rich 
blue ; inner petals purplish rose. Le Mastodonte, height about 
3 feet. Flowers very large, vivid blue, orange and white centre ; 
indeed there is an almost endless variety of this beautiful flower. 
B. grandijlorum .—This is also a Siberian plant. Height about 
2 feet. Spikes dense and branching. Flowers large, dark blue, 
tinged rose ; centre white. July. There is a white-flowered form 
of this species, album, and a double form having large double 
dark rich blue flowers with a metallic lustre. Height 2 to 3 feet. 
July. 
B. nudicaule .—In this plant we have a total departure from the 
colours of all those enumerated above. It grows from 18 inches 
to 2j feet high. Leaves deeply and palmately lobed. Flowers 
large : sepals bright, rich, velvety orange scarlet; petals bright 
yellow. It blooms in July, and is a most desirable plant for the 
border or rock garden. California.—W. H. 
N@TES»GLEPNGS. H 
Though the fruit crop in Herefordshire is almost a 
total failure, there is a sprinkling of Apples and Pears in some 
orchards. Nuts and Filberts will also be very scarce. 
-We are desired to note that the Wrexham Horticul¬ 
tural Society will hold their annual Exhibition on August the 
27th, when about £100 will be given in prizes. The Hon. Sec. 
and Treasurer is Mr. J. B. Shirley, National Provincial Bank of 
England, Wrexham. 
- A correspondent (Mr. J. Lane) informs us that there 
is a fine plant of Cattleya crispa now in bloom at Burston 
Rectory, Diss, Norfolk ; it has sixteen flower spikes with eighty- 
four blooms. The plant is growing in a basket 20 inches square, 
and is a grand specimen, being about 18 inches high and 45 inches 
in circumference. It is perfectly healthy. The Rev. H. T. Frere 
has also some grand plants of other Cattleyas, and a fine plant 
of Ljelia pxrpurata about the same size as the Cattleya crispa. 
Orchids, Pelargoniums, and Roses also seem to be special 
favourites, and they are grown with much credit to Mr. Frere 
and his gardener, Mr. W. Bolton. 
- Perhaps the most attractive department of the Royal 
Gardens, Kew, at the present time is the Herbaceous Grounds, 
where a very large proportion of the extensive collection of hardy 
plants are now flowering. Among them are many beautiful 
species that are far too rare in gardens, and it is surprising that 
some of the most attractive of herbaceous plants are almost con¬ 
fined to botanic gardens, or the few noted collections of private 
individuals. 
- We have received the following letter from R. Ernest 
Horsfall, Esq., of Grassendale Priory, Liverpool, relating to the 
Melon Bellamore Hybrid :—“ I noticed in your report of the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s meeting, in your issue of the 29th 
ult., that a Mr. Sidney Ford exhibited a new Melon called Bel¬ 
lamore Hybrid, and was awarded a first-class certificate. I 
conclude this was more or less an award for merit, and therefore 
wish to say that the Melon in question was raised a few years 
