i88i.] THE HOLLYHOCK. 71 



through the two, and a strand of matting round them, and pot into 4- 

 inch pots. When all are grafted the pots should be plunged in a mild 

 bottom-heat, and the plants kept moderately airy and not over warm. 

 These make good plants for putting out in April with those pro- 

 pagated the preceding autumn. The other modes of propagating 

 named sorts are by cuttings from near the root, through the summer, and 

 by cutting the partially hardened stem into single eyes, and inserting 

 them in boxes or frames in sandy soil. Both cuttings and eyes should 

 be kept as cool as possible, under which conditions they produce 

 good plants before winter. The Hollyhock comes very true to char- 

 acter from seed. The best time to sow is about the beginning of Sep- 

 tember, in a cold frame, where they should remain throughout the 

 winter. Plants from earlier-sown seeds make too much growth, and 

 do not come through the winter so well. The Hollyhock cannot get 

 too deep a soil, or one too rich for its wants, in order to obtain strong 

 spikes and large blooms. Deep and rich soils carry the plants through 

 spells of hot weather without needing to have recourse to the watering- 

 pot every other day, and in all cases amply repay the work and man- 

 ure laid out on them. In such soils the plants ought to be planted 

 not closer than four feet from each other, — more if space can be 

 spared. Hollyhocks do well and look well in mixed borders, and 

 here more room can be allowed them than when grown together in 

 beds. Long and strong stakes are necessary early in summer ; but 

 in tying take care that the ties are not so tight as to cut the fast- 

 thickening stems. Spikes intended for exhibiting should have the 

 tops pinched out, and the blooms, where too thickly set, thinned out. 

 Shading must also be provided. This is economically and efficiently 

 provided by swathing the spikes in newspapers — of course, providing 

 means of keeping the papers off the blooms. 



Last year there were plants offered for sale reputed to be free from 

 the Hollyhock disease, and many more than usual were grown through- 

 out the country. In some localities it seems, from information I have 

 received, that the plants did well and kept free from the fungus — at 

 least to an extent that was not noticeable. In my own case, I bought 

 from a source warranted perfectly " clean ; " but on one or two of the 

 plants I found the fungus. The infected leaves were removed, and I 

 determined to try and stamp out the fungus if it was simply confined 

 to these plants. As growth proceeded the few specimens which 

 appeared were removed by cutting them out of the leaf and burning. 

 This did very well for a time, until the fungus appeared in hundreds 

 on stems as well as leaves. Then the plants were cut down underneath 

 the soil right into the root-stock. The shoots which broke were very 

 soon in a like condition with those which were removed, and they were 

 again cut over in the same way. The plants had only time to com- 

 mence a fresh growth before winter when the plants were lifted for 

 spring propagation. Clean off-growths propagated in summer went 



