THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



155 



in August and September. Seed sown in 

 pans as soon as ripe, and wintered under 

 glass, will bloom in October of the follow- 

 ing year. By using these three sorts of 

 plants, a succession of flowers may be kept 

 up. If an early bloom only is required, 

 old plants must be planted ; if a late 

 bloom, young plants and seedlings. 



In planting for effect, we would always 

 recommend planting three or more of tlie 

 same sort close together in a group, choos- 

 ing tlie clearest and most distinct colours, 

 and those which produce the densest and 

 broadest spikes. When growing for exhi- 

 bition, the form of the flower is of course 

 the primary point for consideration, and 

 here it is usual to plant in lines three or 

 four feet apart, that the culture of the 

 plants may be more carefully and more 

 conveniently attended to. There are some 

 sorts which are alike suitable for exhibi- 

 tion and garden decoration, but both ob- 

 jects can scarcely be attained conjointly. 

 But as to culture, the hollyhock is not 

 particular in regard to soil, it will grow 

 and flourish almost everywhere. The 

 finest spikes we have yet seen were grown 

 on a strong moist loam that had been 

 deep trenched, richly manured, watered in 

 dry weather, and well cultivated by fre- 

 queut and deep hoeing. 



Cuttings of hollyhock, single eyes, 

 taken in July and August, and placed 

 round puts in a cold frame, will root in a 

 month, and may be placed in single pots 

 and stored in a cold frame through the 

 ■winter, repotting into larger pots in Fe- 

 bruary, and planting out in April. Seed 

 should be saved from the best formed, the 

 smoothest, and most double varieties only, 

 and to insure a fair crop of seed it is 

 necessary to pull the flowers from their 

 stalks, so soon as the former begin to 

 decay. 



There are two seasons at which the 

 seed may be sown ; first, in July, in the 

 open ground, the seedlings to be trans- 

 planted or not, according to the conve- 

 nience of the cultivator ; and, secondly, 

 in October, in pans, to be potted into 

 single pots in November, and kept under 

 glass till planted out in April. If the 

 seedlings sown in the open ground are to 

 be transplanted before flowering, October 

 is the best time, and nest to that April. 



In planting out, whether from the 

 ground or pots, a showery day should be 

 chosen, and alter planting the stems should 

 be surrounded with a little stable manure. 

 If the weather or soil be dry, water copi- 



ously till the flowering declines. The 

 hollyhock, with its large surface of leaves 

 and great perspiratory powers, consumes a 

 great quantity of water, especially at that 

 period of its growth, in June and July, 

 when the leaves so rapidly increase in 

 size. So soon as the spikes rise from the 

 crown of the plants, stakes should be 

 driven in at least two feet deep, and al- 

 lowed to remain the same height above 

 the ground, which is sufficient to hold any 

 spike, and will not interfere with the 

 flowers. One, two, or three spikes may be 

 left to each plant, remembering, however, 

 that the fewer the spikes the larger will be 

 both spikes and flowers. Sometimes the 

 flowers are so thick on the spike as to in- 

 terfere with the expansion of the guard 

 petals. In such cases thin out the flower 

 buds when about the size of a nut. Tie 

 up with strong bast from time to time as 

 the spikes rise. Top the spikes at any 

 given height ; in sheltered situations they 

 may be allowed to rise to nine feet ; but 

 where much exposed to wind, seven feet 

 should be the maximum. Shading is ne- 

 cessary, if growing for exhibition, espe- 

 cially with the delicate-coloured varieties, 

 which quickly soil if exposed to sun, wind, 

 and rain. Fortunately this soiling is not 

 sufficiently great to interfere with the 

 effect of the spike in the garden, and as 

 shading is troublesome and unsightly, it 

 may well be dispensed with except where 

 growing for exhibition. 



Some few years ago, the hollyhock 

 suffered great depreciation from being at- 

 tacked by a disease which baffled the skill 

 of our best cultivators. Thousands of 

 plants, both young, unbloomed seedlings 

 and named sorts, suddenly decayed, often 

 just as the first flowers were expanding, 

 when it was impossible to refill their 

 places. This, we believe, was attributable 

 to the unwholesome plan, too generally 

 adopted, of forcing the plant, causing it to 

 grow out of season, and in a close unna- 

 tural atmosphere, in order to obtain a 

 more rapid and extensive increase by root- 

 grafting. If we have rightly studied the 

 vegetable kingdom, there are few plants 

 that will bear this strain put upon them 

 without suffering a diminution of vital 

 power, not always quickly recovered, but 

 often conveyed downwards to the oftspring, 

 alike through cuttings and seeds. Certain 

 it is, that by the discontinuance of this 

 practice the disease gradually disappeared, 

 as far as we know, and is now almost 

 extinct. 



