6 THE GARDENER. [Jan. 



prematurely to bloom, and was utterly worthless for seed purpose. 

 In all probability — if it is not reduced to a certainty — this self -same 

 seed in another season would have produced Cauliflowers as fine in 

 quality as those from which the seed was originally taken. Of late 

 the seedsmen have had many detractors, and of these not the best in- 

 formed or the least prejudiced. Those who know them best see less 

 of their assumed culpability, and discover how rashly made were many 

 of the utterances that have of late had publicity given to them. 



AMATEUR CULTIVATION OF THE HOLLYHOCK. 



It must by no means be assumed, that because comparatively little 

 is now written about the Hollyhock, its area of cultivation has in 

 consequence become considerably reduced. It is still a flower much 

 grown, and long may it continue to be grown, for its rich beauty and 

 its great usefulness as a decorative agent. As one who has cultivated 

 the Hollyhock for many years past, I may be permitted to put forward 

 a plea in its favour in the pages of the ' Gardener/ 



My custom is to pot up the ground roots of the Hollyhocks — i.e., 

 those from which I have taken my exhibition flowers during the 

 summer — in November, using pots according to the size of the roots, 

 and generally employing the sizes thirty-twos and twenty-fours : these 

 I find quite large enough for the greater part of the roots. They are 

 first duly trimmed, and then potted firmly in a light sandy soil, and if 

 not naturally sandy, I mingle with it a good portion of road-grit, with 

 the addition of some leaf-soil. When potted, they have the protection 

 of a greenhouse pit, and are kept rather dry during the winter months, 

 as they are impatient of much moisture round the collar of the plant, 

 and many a good variety has been lost from this cause. 



Death from excessive moisture is often the lot of the plants allowed 

 to remain in the open ground all the winter. Their existence is ma- 

 terially aided by placing either sand or cinder-ashes round the neck of 

 the plants to protect them from wet, as well as insects and slugs, the 

 last-named being a dreaded enemy of the Hollyhock — so much so, that 

 it is often necessary to give the plants a dusting of slacked lime in 

 damp weather. I commence the process of propagation by the middle 

 of February or the beginning of March, as at this season of the year 

 cuttings made from the young growth from the plants root readily. 

 I take them off about 4 inches long, and place several in 32-sized 

 pots, using a soil similar to that I should employ for striking cuttings 

 of bedding Pelargoniums. I press them firmly into the soil, and then 



