736 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 2S, 1908. 
How to Grow . . 
Delphiniums 
. . . for Effect. 
_ V - 
The hardy perennial Larkspurs are 
such neat and graceful subjects that no 
flower garden seems complete without 
its quota*of Delphiniums. These hand¬ 
some plants range in colour from the 
deepest violet-blue to the palest of sky 
blues, with many intermediate shades of 
rose, lilac, and mauve. To get the full 
benefit of their beauty they should be 
planted in groups of four or six of one 
particular shade, although they need not 
all be of the same variety, but the colours 
should harmonise. This will be much 
better than a lot of various colours in 
the groups, and will produce a much 
more effective display. They are ideal 
plants for the mixed border, or for plant¬ 
ing in isolated groups on lawns or in 
shrubberies. 
The autumn is undoubtedly the most 
suitable time in which to plant Del¬ 
phiniums to bloom the next season. The 
beds or borders in which it is proposed 
to plant Delphiniums should be deeply 
dug, and plenty of well rotted manure 
worked into them. One and a half to 
two feet should be allowed between every 
two plants, and these spaces can be filled 
with bulbs that will come into bloom 
when the Delphiniums have done. 
Gladioli lend themselves well for this 
kind of culture, and the deep green 
foliage of the Delphiniums would form a 
very pretty and attractive setting to the 
spikes of scarlet and gold flowers of the 
Gladioli. Colchicums could also be in¬ 
troduced with the Gladioli. 
There are so many good varieties now on 
the market that it is rather difficult to 
make a selection, and the names of a 
few of the best and most distinct varieties 
may be of some help to those who intend 1 
planting this autumn. Delphinium 
Rock Sand has long spikes of large semi¬ 
double flowers of rosy mauve; King of 
Delphiniums is by far the best Del¬ 
phinium yet raised. This variety pro¬ 
duces numerous spikes of Gentian blue 
flowers tinged with plum ; the centre of 
each flower is pure white. Lady Fair is 
one of the most beautiful of the newer 
varieties. The flowers are rosy lilac 
with white centres, and they are borne 
in long spikes. Dorothy Daniels is a 
splendid variety, which produces im¬ 
mense flowers of deep plum colour, with 
spreading white centres. Clear Sky is a 
lovely variety of clear sky blue, with a 
white 1 centre to each flower. Kelway’s 
Blue much resembles the well-known 
Persimmon, but the flowers are larger 
and brighter, and the spikes much 
longer. Silver Buckle has sky blue 
flowers with dark centres; Zinfanstel, 
very large spikes of deep blue flowers, 
the centres black. 
The above seven varieties would make 
a. splendid addition to a herbaceous bor¬ 
der, and the colours could be arranged 
to suit any position, that is, the dark 
shades of colour could be put in that 
part of the border which gets the most 
light, and the lighter colours into the 
shady or darker portions of the border. 
Delphiniums are such hardy plants that 
they need no special treatment beyond 
a liberal supply of moisture during the 
blooming period which will be consider¬ 
ably extended if this is attended to. The 
old flower stems should be cut down in 
the autumn within 6 in. of the crown of 
the plant, and some of the surface soil 
should be removed and coal ashes 
sprinkled around the plants. This will 
prevent the slugs from destroying the 
young and tender shoots. 
W. F. Glovf.r. 
- ±+4 - 
American Gooseberry Mildew. 
At a meeting, on September 24th, of 
the Maidstone Farmers’ Club it was re¬ 
ported that the American gooseberry 
mildew had now made its appearance in 
practically every part of Kent where 
gooseberries are grown in any quantity.^ 
One member, who resides in the neigh¬ 
bourhood of Maidstone, stated that he 
had been obliged to destroy as many as 
45,000 trees and he regarded the outlook 
of the gooseberry industry in Kent as 
verv gloomy. It was the opinion of the 
majority of the members that nothing 
short of the destruction of the affected 
trees could stamp out the disease. 
--- Q. W. -- 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS:—Competitors mast 
write on one side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDEN ING^ 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de* 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any way,! any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be oare- 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OFTEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value father than length will be considered in 
mating the award. Mark envelopes “ Corn* 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
following date of issue. Entries received later 
than Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
the following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
RESULTS OP 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best papers in this competition 
are too long, and we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
A prize in the Readers’ Oompetiticn was 
awarded to “ J. Scammell,” for the article 
on “The Apple Orchard,” page 722. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize 
was awarded to “ H. Stevens ” for the article 
on “ Helonias bullata ”; and another to 
“ 0.0. ” for the article on “ Loasa aurantiaca,” 
page 734. 
Economy in Heating 
a Lean-to Greenhouse. 
The amateur whose dwelling house is 
built with a gable-end fireplace can fix 
his lean-to greenhouse against this wall 
and so effect very considerable economy 
in heating it, while if 'the aspect be a 
sunny one so much the better. 
In the back of the kitchen fireplace he 
can place a boiler to be connected through 
the wall with the greenhouse heating 
pipes, thus easily utilising much heat 
which would be otherwise wasted. In 
summer time there would be, of course, 
no need for artificial heat, and conse¬ 
quently he could allow the boilet to re¬ 
main empty until the approach of cold 
weather. 
In the early part of the year, by mean- 
of this arrangement he could get to work 
betimes with seed sowing, etc., and his 
plants would bloom even before those in 
a detached house, for the gable-end wall 
being also warm would be a further great 
advantage in this class of structure. 
A staging could be made against the 
wall on which could be grown Geraniums. 
Primulas, pot Roses, Petunias, Gloxinias. 
Cyclamens, Calceolarias, etc., while on 
the wall itself could be trained climbing 
Roses, their roots being planted in the 
border .at the base. In a position like 
this it is astonishing what a large number 
of fine Roses can be had at a time when 
in other similar houses they would be far 
behind. A large Gloire de Dijon in a 
like position in a house heated in the 
way proposed has been known to bear 
more than three hundred blooms at once, 
and the Roses were of rich texture and 
splendidly coloured, and this at a time 
when such flowers were scarce. 
Under the staging next to the glass side 
we could cultivate early Mushrooms or 
various early vegetables or salads, while 
some very fine Chrysanthemums could 
also be grown provided the ordinary rou¬ 
tine of feeding, etc., was observed. 
In February and March most of the 
annuals could be sown in pans or boxes, 
afterwards being transplanted to frames 
until ready to put out in their flowering 
quarters. 
All this and more could be accom¬ 
plished by utilising the heat from the 
kitchen fire, which would be otherwise 
dissipated up the chimney. 
Joseph Floyd. 
W esthoughton. 
- 
to? North ot 
A Letter to the Editor. 
Sir, — The following Apples are some of 
the best for the north of England. They 
give a succession, and should be planted 
in large quantities preferably to plant¬ 
ing a great number of different sorts: 
Dessert — Beauty of Bath, V orcester 
Pearmain, James Grieve, and King of 
the Pippins. Kitchen — Lord Grosvenor 
or Pott’s Seedling and Lane’s Prince 
Albert. Dwarf trees are best. 
J. Bf.mond Hall. 
