HOLLYHOCK. 



255 



HOLLYHOCK. 



and decided, and the flowers close to each 

 other on the stem. About the middle of 

 March, or not later than the first week in 

 April, the seed bed should be prepared, 4 

 feet wide, with an alley on each side. The 

 soil should be rich and in good heart ; such 

 soil as would suit a cabbage will grow the 

 hollyhock in tolerable perfection. Trench 

 the bed 2 feet deep, throwing the top spit 

 to the bottom, and bringing the second 

 spit to the surface, if both are of the same 

 character of loamy, somewhat tenacious 

 soil, breaking up the surface thoroughly. 

 On this bed, raked smooth, sow the seed 

 so thickly as to come up an inch apart, 

 and uift over the seeds some rich dry 

 soil, so as to cover trusm for about an 

 inch. Seeds of the hollyhock may be 

 obtained from any nurseryman or seeds- 

 man, as may seedlings also for planting out. 



Treatment of Seedlings. When the 

 young plants come up and begin to grow, 

 the weeds must be kept down, and 

 vigorous growth encouraged by watering 

 in dry weather. In June they will bear 

 removal to a nursery bed, prepared in the 

 same manner as the seed bed. If the seed- 

 lings have been growing vigorously, the 

 roots will be strong, and must not be 

 broken in taking up ; this may be pre- 

 vented by soaking the bed thoroughly the 

 night previous to removal, and lifting the 

 plants cautiously with a fork inserted under 

 them, as in lifting potatoes. Plant them 

 in the new bed 6 inches apart each way, 

 using a dibber, making a hole large enough 

 to receive the roots, and pressing the earth 

 round them by making another hole on 

 each side with the point of the dibber, 

 watering the bed thoroughly when planted. 

 When dry and somewhat settled, rake the 

 beds smooth, giving the same care as to 

 weeding and watering when dry, as well as 

 destroying slugs, earwigs, and insects. 



Planting in Blooming Quarters. In 

 the autumn they will be strong plants, fit \ 



to put out where they are to bloom. If 

 they are intended to bloom in rows where 

 they stand, every other plant must now be 

 removed, so as to leave them one foot 

 apart all over the bed ; here they may be 

 supported by strong stakes placed at both 

 ends of each row, and a strong cord carried 

 from one to the other, to which the plants 

 are to be tied. As hollyhocks come into 

 bloom, in the second year, every single 

 flower which does not exhibit some desir- 

 able character of habit or colour should be 

 thrown away before they begin to ripen 

 seed ; the majority will be in this category. 

 Those selected for further experiment should 

 be cut down to within 3 inches of the 

 ground, the earth round them stirred with 

 a fork, to loosen the soil and let in the air, 

 having previously named or numbered them 

 in your book, and described the qualities 

 for which they were selected. 



Propagation by Cuttings. As soon as 

 the first flowers of an old plant open suffi- 

 ciently to judge of the flowering, the 

 superfluous side branches having no flower 

 buds may be taken off, with two or three 

 joints and leaves. Cut the shoot through 

 with a clean cut, just under the lower joint, 

 leaving the leaf entire ; cut it also at about 

 2 inches above the joint either joint will 

 do, provided they have growing eyes, with 

 a leaf and piece of ripened wood to support 

 the bud until roots are formed. These 

 cuttings, planted in a light sandy soil, 

 placed under a hand-glass, and watered 

 occasionally, and shaded from the sun, will 

 require little further care except keeping 

 clear of weeds and dead leaves. When 

 rooted, pot them off in 6o-sized pots, and 

 put them in a cold frame where they can 

 remain during the winter. In spring, 

 plant them out in the open ground where 

 they are to flower, the colours being 

 arranged so as to harmonise with other 

 parts of the garden, taking care to furnish 

 the roots with the proper soil. 



