-350 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



the open ground, where they are to flower, the colours being arranged so as 

 to harmonize with other parts of the garden, taking care to furnish the roots 

 •with the proper soil. 



992. The old plants in autumn furnish another source for new plants. 

 When the flowers are becoming shabby, cut the plants down, and, beginning 

 at the bottom joints, continue to make cuttings, as described above, until the 

 fibre gets too soft for the purpose, — each joint having eyes will furnish a plant f 

 these struck under a hand-glass, on a very slight hotbed, will gi-ow vigor- 

 •ously, the soil being gritty sand, loam, and leaf -mould, in equal proportions, 

 watering cautiously, but sprinkling the cuttings slightly every day in fine 

 weather. 



993. Mr.W. Paul, of Cheshunt, has made the hollyhock his peculiar study, and 

 lie finds that the season of flowering may be greatly extended by striking and 

 -transplanting at different seasons. " There is," he says, " a difference of six 

 weeks in the period of flowering between plants removed early in autumn and 

 late in spring ; and of this we may avail ourselves to lengthen the succession. 

 Early-rooted cuttings and old plants may be induced to bloom in July, and 

 late-rooted cuttings and spring-sown seedlings in November : hence there is no 



• difficulty in obtaining flowers for four successive months." 



994. Mr. Paul attaches much importance to a free supply of water in the 

 spring months, when the plant has just been tui*ned out of the pots, and 

 when it is most desirable to have rapid and vigorous growth. 



995. Three flowering- spikes should only be allowed to the strongest plants, — 

 to weakly ones only one ; all the others should be rubbed ofl' as soon as they 

 are sufficiently large to permit of selection. When a foot and a half high, stake 

 them, placing two to each plant, one of these stakes being driven in on each 

 : side of the plant, the stakes being 5 feet long and driven 2^, feet into the ground. 



"Pass the bast round the stem of the plant," says Mr, Paul, " drawing it first 

 to one of the stakes, and tie it; " then perform the same operation on the other 

 .side a few inches higher up, tying it in the opposite dh-ection, "until the plant 

 is rendered quite secure. When there are two stems to one root, three stakes 

 will be necessar)^ placed in a triangle, tying the stems alternately as before," 

 taking care, however, when planted out in the garden, that the stakes aro 



• covered with the foliage of the plant as much as possible. 



996. Among the many objects of interest to be seen at Messrs. Paul's 

 nursery, none present a finer appearance than the hollyhocks ia August and 

 September. It is the poplar among flowers. The following selection from 

 their numerous list of plants are particularly worth notice, towering, as many 

 of them do, with spikes ten feet high : — 



TVliite and blush-colour, — Yista; Celes- 

 tial ; Lady Tarlton. 



Euff, fawn, and salmon, — Empress ; Mr. 

 Oakes ; Queen of the ButFs. 



Lemon, — Walden ; Masterpiece. 



Pink, — Lady Franklyn ; Perfection. 



Kosy carmine, — Beauty of Cheshuntj 

 Beauty of Walden. 



Crimson, — Memnon ; Sir Colin Campbell ; 



Red Eover ; "Waterloo. 

 Claret, — In Memoriam. 

 Purple, — Perfection. 

 Plum-colour, — Plutarch. 

 Sulphur and Yellow, — Sulphur Queen f 



Queen of the Yellows. 



