556 General Notices. 



buried among old shrubberies lor nearly half a century, is again being in- 

 troduced on our modern lawns, and the walls of our gardens, to adorn by a 

 profusion of flowers those situations it is so well calculated to clothe and 

 decorate. The selection of good sorts should be the primary consideration 

 of the grower. The most desirable varieties have been shown to possess 

 stifl^ness of petal in connection with the form of the flower. I have at- 

 tempted to raise them at various times, from imported seeds, but have as 

 often been disappointed, and therefore would suggest the propriety of 

 procuring plants of decidedly good varieties. In planting hollyhocks, to 

 give effect to their majestic appearance, a tutored eye will readily discover 

 the position they should occupy, as to grouping and arrangement. We 

 could view with pleasure, scattered groups or solitary plants rising by the 

 sides of the falling cascade, or the base of rugged rocks, by the side of the 

 rippling stream : and when passing over the wide-spanned bridge we could 

 admire its entrance guarded by hollyhock pillars, well contrasted, and 

 closely planted round, and supported by invisible iron stakes. Such pillars 

 may stand singly on the lawn, on either side of the garden doors, and who 

 would deny them a place by the side of the cottage gate? Such vacant 

 places as arc sometimes to be met with on garden walls, may also be plant- 

 ed with them, where they have a neat appearance if properly nailed to the 

 wall, and afford an excellent situation for obtaining properly refined seed. 



The propagation of the hollyhock is easily effected by cuttings, taken off 

 at any time they can be procured, and rooted in a cold frame ; this is the 

 most effectual method of perpetuating the finer sorts. The seeds also care- 

 fully gathered when perfectly ripe, and retained in the calyx until April, 

 when they may be separated and sown in a well prepared border, in a few 

 weeks they will be ready to transplant, the first favorable opportunity, to 

 the places where they are to remain to flower, as too often transplanting 

 has a tendency to weaken the plants. Where the seed is saved from good 

 flowers there is no necessity for planting out the seedlings into nursery 

 rows to test their merits, as I have invariably found that single flowers sel- 

 dom come from seed well selected. In planting out hollyhocks where they 

 are to remain, the ground should be well prepared with a good rich soil to 

 ensure a perfect bloom. A suflUcient number of stakes should be provided 

 to fasten them to, as they grow. The great prejudice against the plant is 

 the great stake that is required for its support ; thick wooden poles are cer- 

 tainly, where they are not hid by the foliage, any think but ornamental. I 

 received some iron stakes from Messrs. C. D. Young & Co., of Edinburgh, 

 for dahlias, which if proportioned to the length of 6 to 8 feet, would answer 

 admirably for the support of hollyhocks, and silence the only plausible 

 argument against their more general culture. — {Id. 1849, p. 361.) 



Plumbago Larpentaz. — In a previous page we have incidentally mentioned 

 this rather new plant, about the merits of which there appear to be various 

 opinions among amateurs and practical cultivators. To show in what esti- 

 mation it is held, we quote the opinions of three different correspondents, 

 and leave lovers of plants to judge of its real merits for themselves : — 



It grieves me, Mr. Editor, to think that while the want of a good blue 



