28 THE FLORIST. 



P. racemosa lias scarlet flowers ; exceedingly handsome. A na- 

 tive of Brazil. 



P. Middletoniana is a beautiful sort, of a luxuriant growth, with 

 handsome dark green shining foHage ; the flowers are purple, and 

 the nectary or crown consists of two rows of beautiful purple and 

 white filaments ; they are also very agreeably scented. A particu- 

 larly showy variety : introduced from the West Indies. 



Altogether the Passifloras are a very elegant and interesting 

 genus, admirably adapted for stove-cHmbers, being of easy culture, 

 free growers, and if allowed plenty of room will be sure to produce 

 abundance of beautiful flowers, and many of them are very sweet- 

 scented. All the species will thrive well in a mixture of good rich 

 loam and rotten dung, rendered open by the addition of sandy peat ; 

 the compost should be used in a rough state, and should always 

 have good drainage. Cut them well in every autumn, after they 

 have done blooming, and in the summer give plenty of water. 



Clerodendron splendens is a climbing species of this genus. It 

 has very handsome evergreen foliage, and rich scarlet flowers ; ex- 

 ceedingly showy : it should be grown in a somewhat shaded place 

 in the stove, and planted in a rich loamy soil. 



Hull. [To be continued.] J. S. NouMAN. 



THE HOLLYHOCK. 



Having been requested by several readers of the Florist to supply 

 some instructions on the cultivation of the Hollyhock, I readily 

 respond to their wishes. 



Varieties of this beautiful flower have been for mnny years 

 crowded into the uncultivated parts of our shrubberies ; and perhaps 

 justly so, not deserving a better situation. But the time is come 

 when some of the improved sorts of this old ornament of our gar- 

 dens should be brought out of the shade, and be prominently placed 

 on the lawn and in the flower-garden, where they will assuredly 

 claim the admiration of the amateur, and repay the care of the Florist. 

 The Hollyhock is worthy of the same care and attention as the 

 Dahlia ; and, properly cultivated, should be planted in beds or rows. 

 The ground best suited for them is rich old garden-soil, well trenched 

 over to the depth of two feet, with plenty of decomposed manure 

 well mixed up with it. If the subsoil is wet, they will thrive re- 

 markably well in the summer ; but are apt to suff'er from it in the 

 winter. tSand laid round the stem of the roots I find to be an 

 excellent preventive from rot and slugs, which are very troublesome 

 in the winter months. A situation shaded by distant trees from the 

 noonday-sun is to be preferred ; only the roots of the trees must not 

 be allowed to interfere with those of the Hollyhock. They will 

 bloom earlier in a warm south border, but not so finely, nor retain 

 their flowers so long, as when planted in a little shade. If cultivated 

 in rows, let them be placed three feet apart, and four feet from row 

 to row ; if in beds, about the same distance should be preserved ; 



