CONTRIVANCE FOR WATERING PLANTS IN POTS. 15 
works, and by the fifty societies which, unsolicited, have enrolled him 
among their associates. Parallel to his botanical knowledge is the 
urbanity and liberality with which he meets the wishes not of his 
friends only, but of all who ask from him either the gratification of 
their curiosity or an addition to their botanical stores. 
THE HOLLYHOCK, AS AN ORNAMENTAL FLOWER. 
In the centre of clumps planted with dwarf shrubs, and in vacancies 
which are two or three feet from the edge, at the backs or at least a 
yard from the front of borders,—in all places where there are vacan- 
cies between shrubs, or at the backs of shrubberies of dwarf subjects, 
the hollyhock is a fine ornamental plant. In no case is it so appro- 
priately disposed of as where its towering spikes rise above the green 
foliage or diversified borders of more dwarf subjects. The dahlia, with 
all its variety and brilliance, its abundant blooms and protracted season, 
may supersede the hollyhock as a foreground subject, but it cannot 
be planted in the same space nor assume the same figure; for, strange 
as it may seem, it is difficult to place a hollyhock where it is not an 
ornament. It does not seem out of place unless it is out of sight. As 
an object wholly seen, a good hollyhock in the height of the season is 
a very noble subject. The splendid pyramid of flower, commencing 
at the top of the bushy foliage and growing upright, is, when at its 
best, worthy of a place anywhere, even ona lawn. Groups of them 
in clumps, where their heights are regulated, the tallest being the 
farthest removed, and the shorter ones gradually descending to the front, 
which is for dwarf ones only, are an addition to the best conditioned 
garden or dressed ground, and from their remarkable figure, distance 
seems to be no object. In the broad belts of plantation which sur- 
round a park, or the borders, made on each or either side of a road; in 
the wilderness, or anywhere else, the towering hollyhock is a perma- 
nent and graceful ornament, requiring no further trouble than planting 
out. In most situations it will stand without support. It will grow 
up where almost any other subject would be choked, and in the wildest 
of these places it is scarcely advisable to remove any of the spikes; 
they may be allowed to bloom in bunches of half a dozen, or the single 
spike, for as the object is merely show, the quality is no eye sore.— 
Horticultural Magazine. 
CONTRIVANCE FOR WATERING PLANTS IN POTS. 
BY BURRIENSIS. 
In order to prevent the inconvenience of giving too much water to pot- 
plants, get a circular piece of deal one inch thick, cut out the inner 
circular piece, put the pot so that the hole in the bottom shall be about 
the centre of the hole in the piece of wood ; any water will then drain 
off. At the underside of the wood four grooves must be made crossways 
