428 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



plants come into flower. The side shoots 

 from the flower-spikes, or the smaller 

 flower - spikes, if they can be spared, 

 should be cut up into single joints, and 

 dibbled in thickly in a prepared bed in a 

 frame or pit, where they can be kept 

 close and cared for by shading from bright 

 sunshine, and sprinkling occasionally with 

 water that has been warmed by standing 

 in the sun. Nearly every cutting will 

 then develop a bud from the axil of the 

 leaf, rapidly strike root, and make a good 

 strong plant by the following spring ; as 

 a rule, young plants propagated at this 

 season give the best spikes. When cut- 

 ting down the flowering stems of Holly- 

 hocks after blooming, they should be left 

 a good length, as they are impatient of 

 damp about their crowns ; in spring the 

 old stems may be removed altogether. 

 Owing to the Hollyhock disease it is often 

 a better plan to abandon the named kinds 

 increased from cuttings and resort to 

 seedlings only for stock. This way is all 

 the more sure, as seed growers of late 

 years have fixed and separated the colours 

 so that a fine variety of good ones may 

 be secured in this way, while the plants 

 are more vigorous, and in any case will 

 often start free from the disease. 



INSECT PESTS AND DISEASES. Red 

 spider and thrips are both very trouble- 

 some, but the first does most injury. It 

 appears on the under sides of the leaves 

 as soon as the hot weather sets in, and is 

 difficult to dislodge. If there is any trace 

 of red spider before planting out, the whole 

 plant, except the roots, should be dipped 

 in a pail of soft soapy water, to which a 

 pint or so of tobacco liquid has been 

 added. It will be well to syringe the 

 under sides of the leaves with the mixture 

 if the plants have been planted out before 

 the pest is perceived. Thrips may be de- 

 stroyed in the same way, and it is well to 

 syringe the plants every day in hot 

 weather. 



THE HOLLYHOCK FUNGUS (Puccinia 

 malvacearunt) is very destructive to the 

 Hollyhock. When once it seizes a col- 

 lection, probably the best way is to destroy 

 all the plants affected. Those that do not 

 appear to be attacked should be washed 

 with soapy water in which flowers of 

 sulphur has been dissolved. The sulphur 

 will settle at the bottom of the vessel, and 

 must be frequently stirred up when the 

 mixture is being used. Sulphur seems to 

 destroy almost any fungus ; and may de- 

 stroy this in its very earliest stages, but 

 will not when established. 



ALYSSUM (Madworf]. Rock and 

 alpine plants, the species much resemb- 



ling each other. A. saxatile (the Rock 

 Madwort or Gold Dust) is one of the 

 most valuable of yellow spring flowers, 

 hardy in all parts of these islands. The 

 colour of its masses of bloom and its 

 vigour have made it one of the best- 

 known plants. It is often grown in half- 

 shady places ; but like most rock-plants 

 it should be fully exposed. It is well 

 fitted for the spring garden, and the 

 mixed border, and for association with 

 evergreen Candytufts and Aubrietias. In 

 winter it perishes in heavy rich clays 

 when on the level ground. A native of 

 Southern Russia, it flowers with us in 

 April or May. There is a dwarfer variety, 



Alyssum montanum. 



distinguished by the name of A. saxatile 

 compactum, but it differs very little from 

 the old plant. A. Gemonense has the habit 

 of A. saxatile, but larger flowers. A. mon- 

 tanum is a dwarf plant, spreading into 

 compact tufts, 3 in. high. A. podolicum 

 is a small hardy alpine from South Russia. 

 It has in early summer a profusion of 

 small white blossoms and is suited for the 

 rock-garden or the margins of borders. 

 A. pyrenaicum is a neat rock-plant with 

 white flowers. A. spinosum is a silvery 

 little bush with white flowers. A. ser- 

 pyllifolium is a grey-green leaved form, 

 with yellow flowers. Small plants quickly 

 become Liliputian bushes, 3 in. to 6 in. 

 high ; and when fully exposed, are almost 

 as compact as Moss. 



Among other kinds sometimes grown 

 are A. Wiersbecki and A. olymptcum, 

 but they are not quite so good as the com- 

 mon kind. The alpine and rock kinds are 

 of easy culture in light or dry soil, as indeed 



