January 6, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE QABLENER. 



Any Btrong-growiug Rose root will answer, but the Briar is 

 the best. Now is the time to graft and until the seoond week 

 in March, but the sooner the better. Most of them will bloom 

 the same season if we like to allow them to do so. 



When the Dnke of Edinburgh first came to me the first 

 week in February I out off the top, put it on to the Briar root, 

 and in August I had one of the finest blooms I ever had of 

 that variety. 



I have just received most of what I consider the best new 

 varieties, and in a few days their tops will be on the Briar roots 

 grafted in the ordinary way and planted in the open ground, 

 covering the union quite over, and the ground covered with 

 2 or 3 inches of sawdust. Large roots I wedge-graft, small 

 roots I whip. All the Perpetuala will make roots for them- 

 Belvep, aud by this plan we seldom see a Briar sucker. — J. C, 

 Fclton Park Gardens. 



the winter ; but by growing C. alternifoliua variegatus in a 

 rich compost it is apt to revert to the normal type. It should 

 therefore be grown in sand. Too much water cannot be given 

 to these plants during the growing season ; the pots in fact 

 should stand in water. A supply of plants may be quickly 

 raised from seed, and will do something to fill what is now the 

 greatest blank in garden embellishment — streamlet and water 

 decoration. 



PAPYRUS ANTIQUOEUM. 



We figure this example of the Sedges aa being typical of an 

 ornamental family of plants, and as being remarkable for the 

 important purposes to 

 which it was employ- 

 ed by the Egyptians. 

 Itisuot only the plant 

 from which the an- 

 cients made their 

 paper, but it gave to 

 paper its name. In 

 Syria the plant was 

 known by the name 

 of haheer, whence 

 came the appellation 

 Papyrus. 



This plant has been 

 employed for various 

 purposes ; its leaves 

 by being twisted were 

 converted into ropes, 

 and from its fibre 

 cloth has been made. 

 The rootstocks when 

 young are sweet and 

 nutritions, and are 

 used as food ; but 

 when old they become 

 woody, and are then 

 moulded into cups 

 and other utensils. 

 With the rays of its 

 umbels of flowers the 

 Egyptians made 

 chaplets for the heads* 



of their gods, and under the arms of a great many mummies 

 a smaU bunch of the Papyrus is found ; and probably it was 

 of this plant that the " ark of bulrushes '' was made in which 

 Pharaoh's daughter found the infant Moses. 



In its native habitat it grows in marshy ground to the height 

 of 8 feet, and is smmounted by a large compound umbel of 

 flowers, having long filiform' involucres, as represented in the 

 engraving. It is an elegant and stately plant, easily cultivated 

 as a stove aquatic, and is increased from seeds or division of 

 the roots. 



More particularly is it useful, perhaps, as a subtropical plant 

 for placing on the margins of ornamental water in the summer 

 months, for which purpose, with other species of the same 

 genus, it is well adapted. When so employed these plants 

 produce a distinct and effective feature in garden ornamenta- 

 tion. A few of the species have been appropriately employed 

 in the streamlets at Battersea Park, where nothing seems to 

 be overlooked. 



The Cypernses, which belong to the same natural order, are 

 miniature forms of this family, growing 2 or 3 feet in height. 

 They are amongst the most elegant of table and decorative 

 plants, of the easiest culture, and all of them will flourish in 

 water or in moist places in the garden during the summer. 

 C. alternifolius, the Umbrella Sedge of Madagascar, and its 

 variegated form, are the most familiar and useful, although 

 there are a dozen other species equally easy of culture, 0. longus 

 being hardy. The tropical species require heat, rich soil, and 

 abundance of water during the summer, and may be safely 

 preserved in a temperature of 50°, or even lower, throughout 



Fig. 3.— PAPira'3 axtiqcoech 



THE CULTURE OF THE HOLLYHOCK. 



The Hollyhock is the noblest of all florists' flowers. Tower- 

 ing above all its neighbours like a giant, and in almost every 

 shade of colour, we know no other plant that could take its 

 place. What other could give such a bold appearance to mixed 

 borders ? Its flowers will also bear a very favourable com- 

 parison with most florist flowers, and stands of its cut blooms 

 form very appropriate companions to the Dahlia, not only on 

 the exhibition table, but almost in all positions. In fact the 

 two are so thoroughly united together in my miud that they 

 almost seem inseparable. As back lines to broad flower bor- 

 ders they are in my 

 opinion unsurpassed, 

 the noble bearing of 

 the Hollyhock adding 

 to the massive beauty 

 of the Dahlia. 



It forms no part of 

 my intention in the 

 following notes to 

 trace the history and 

 gradual yet rapid im- 

 provement of the Hol- 

 lyhock by the skill of 

 the florist. It is quits 

 sufficient for my pur- 

 pose to know it was in- 

 troduced from China 

 — a very different- 

 looking plant to what 

 we have it at the 

 present day. It will 

 under certain condi- 

 tions endure the ordi- 

 nary winters of Bri- 

 tain — a circumstance 

 I never advise, as I 

 consider it quite wor- 

 thy the shelter of a 

 cold frame during 

 winter, and that is 

 the only protection 

 it requires except in 

 sharp weather, when a little extra covering is advisable. It 

 belongs to the order Malvaceae, which implies that the plant 

 requires plenty of light and water. In giving my method of 

 successfully growing the plant I will first say that it is my 

 usual practice to have at least the half of my stock young 

 plants every year, believing they, in common with many other 

 plants, produce better individual blooms than do old plants ; 

 and by having two sets, old and young, the period of flowering 

 is prolonged, the old coming earlier into bloom than the young 

 plants. 



For many years after becoming a grower and ardent admirer 

 of the Hollyhock there was no other mode known to me of 

 increasing the stock except by cuttings of the young shoots, 

 and single eyes, before the stems had become hard in the 

 autumn. With cuttings I found considerable annoyance at 

 times through, I believe, my anxiety to push them too quickly 

 with heat. After a time I had pretty fair success with 

 putting the cuttings into a cold place until they were fairly 

 callused ; when introducing them into a little bottom heat they 

 emitted roots immediately. Since grafting became known to 

 me, about fourteen or fifteen years ago, I may say I have 

 alone adopted that mode of propagation. I usually graft early 

 in February. The young shoots that spring from the stems 

 are taken off the same as for cuttings. A slice is taken off the 

 side with a clean sharp knife ; a corresponding slice is taken 

 oS a piece of root, both fitted nicely together, a small pin 

 being thrust through both to keep them from shifting ; then 

 bind with mat, pot in nice friable sandy soil, and plunge in 

 smart bottom heat and shade carefully. In eight days or so 



