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THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



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 allowed 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 

 he 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 interfere 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 

 necessary, if growing for exhibition, especially 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 trouble- 

 some and unsightly, it may well be dispensed with except where 

 growing for exhibition. 



Some few years ago the hollyhock suffered great depreciation 

 from being attacked 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 unnatural 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 

 offspring, 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. W. P. 



JULY WOEK IN THE EOSE GAEDEN. 



|EFOEE any of the early blooms are past go over the 

 whole stock, catalogue in hand, and see if the tallies 

 are right, and determine the characters of new varieties 

 as better or worse than old ones in the same class of 

 form and colour. Budding on briers out of doors is 

 the great business of the month. During dull, rainy, close weather 

 neglect everything else to get as many buds in as possible. The 

 manner in which the several varieties bloom will afford better 

 lessons on culture, and especially on pruning, than all the books 

 that ever were written. Gather all the fading flowers daily, place 

 the petals in open baskets in a shady place to dry, and let the ladies 



