HOLLYHOCK. iwil 



has been seen in the cottage-garden, the inha- 

 bitants seem possessed of more domestic com- 

 forts than those who neglect to secure a swarm 

 of bees, and we have known several industrious 

 families entirely clothed by the profit which they 

 obtained from the sale of their honey and wax. 



The Hollyhock is also likely to hold a higher 

 rank in rural economy than that of feeding bees. 

 For some years past it has been known that a 

 good strong cloth may be made from the fibrous 

 bark of the flower stalks of this plant, and in the 

 year 1821, about two hundred and eighty acres 

 of land, near Flint, in Wales, were planted with 

 the common Hollyhock, with the view of convert- 

 ing the fibres of this plant into thread similar to 

 that of hemp or flax. In the process of manu- 

 facture, it was discovered that the plant yields a 

 fine blue dye, equal in beauty and permanence to 

 the best indigo. This important discovery cannot 

 fail of rendering beneficial consequences, both in 

 a commercial and agricultural point of view. 



The receptacles containing the seed of these 

 plants should be collected when ripe in dry wea- 

 ther, and placed in situations where they will re- 

 ceive no damp during the winter ; these may be 

 sown about the middle of April, in beds of light 

 earth, from which the young plants may be re- 

 moved when they have six or eight leaves each. 



