count of its fragrance, which is similar to that of Cowslips. This species is a native of Sicily and Silesia. The small blue Lupine, Varius, is a native of the south of Europe, and the large blueflowered Hirsutus, which is first noticed by Parkinson, in 1629, is also thought to be a native of the same parts, although Linnæus mentions it as indigenous to Arabia, and the islands of the Archipelago, whilst Miller considered it an aboriginal of India; and Parkinson reports that it was said to have come from beyond Persia.

The Rose Lupine, Pilosus, which produces a flesh-coloured flower, is also a native of the south of Europe, from whence it was introduced in 1710.

We have procured four different species of this plant from America, one of which is perennial: this was brought from Virginia in 1658.

To procure a succession of these flowers, they should be sown at three different seasons, that is, in April, May, and June. The best mode of sowing them is by forming small clumps of them; but they should not be sown too thick, and they seldom succeed when transplanted. The Lupine has a leaf that is termed digitate, which, at night, has the sides contracted, and hang down, bending back to the petiole.

The Lupine appears not to have been familiar to the inhabitants of eastern countries, and hence it

is not placed in their language of flowers: we have, therefore, agreeable to its name, and with due submission to the learned students of hieroglyphics, made it the emblem of voraciousness.

LARKSPUR. Delphinium

Natural Order Multisilique. Ranunculacea, Juss. A Genus of the Polyandria Trigynia Class.

THAT a flower of so much celebrity for its elegance of shape and beautiful variety of colouring should be suffered to pass unnoticed by English bards cannot escape 66 our special wonder." Let no poet henceforth complain of the want of a subject until we are able to present our readers with a head to the history of a plant whose pyramidal bouquets rank in the parterre amongst the most brilliant favourites of Flora.

The lively and delicate dyes of these blossoms give a prismatic effect to the garden by their spiral branches of azure, rose, white, violet, lilac, and carnation hues.

In floral language the Larkspur is made the emblem of lightness, an appellation which the graceful airiness with which these flowers are placed on the branches truly justifies. The generic name of the plant is derived from the Greek Δελφίνιον, signifying a dolphin, because the flower-buds, before they are expanded, are thought to resemble that

fish. In the natural single state of this flower, the outer petals form a kind of horn-shaped nectary at the back of the corolla, which is similar to the spur of the Lark's-foot, hence the name of Larkspur and Lark's-heel in English; and Pied d'alouette in French: in the latter language it is also called Eperon de chevalier, Knight's-spur, which corresponds with the Italian name of Sperone di cavaliere. The Italians also honour it by the name of Fior regio, King-flower.

Gerard mentions the Larkspur amongst the flowers which were cultivated in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, but he does not seem to have been acquainted with this flower in its double state, for it was not until about the beginning of the seventeenth century that double flowers were so eagerly sought after; and it appears to have been about that period, when the florimania raged to such an excess among the Dutch, that the Larkspur had its petals multiplied to the exclusion of its spur, as we find it noticed by Parkinson, in 1629, who speaks of the great varieties of colours in these double flowers, and notices the loss of the spur when the petals become double. On this account the double varieties should be called after the generic name only, as Lark's-spur is unappropriate when the spur is not retained. The Delphinium, although it loses its spur by the increase of its

petals, yet retains an advantage over the Double Stock, and many other flowers which lose their parts of fructification when their petals are multiplied, for the Delphinium retains its anthers and stigmas, and consequently produces seed; but if this seed be suffered to sow itself in the autumn, it generally returns to its natural single state, whilst the seed that is kept dry, and sown later in the season or in the spring, produces double flowers. This species of Upright Larkspur, Delphinium Ajacis, is a native of Switzerland, but in late times it has been found growing spontaneously in several parts of the south of Europe; it is generally thought to have escaped from neighbouring gardens.

The seeds of the different-coloured varieties should be kept distinct, as this affords an opportu nity of raising clumps of separate colours, which give a pleasing effect; yet we recommend some patches to be sown with all the colours mixed. We have frequently admired them in the Royal gardens of France when thus mixed; and this flower is more attended to in that country than with us. These plants send down long fibres, and therefore will not bear transplanting; but they may be suffered to stand thicker on the ground than the Branching Larkspur, Delphinium Consolida, which spreads its branches to some distance, so that four or five