10 ALTH^A 



ALTH^E'A continued. 



sown in June or July in a west border. The seeds 

 very quickly germinate. Late in September or in 

 October the young plants should be lifted and 

 potted up and kept in a cold frame till April, 

 when they must be planted out in the open where 

 they are to flower. Another way, and the best for 

 those who have no glass at all, is to sow in the 

 open ground in June or July as follows : Prepare 

 a seed bed by digging and pulverising the soil 

 deeply and well. Eake smooth and put in the 

 seed 2 or 3 ins. apart and 1 in. deep. In a few 

 days the seedlings will be up, when they will 

 require frequent watering if the weather is hot. 

 When about 3 ins. high they should be gently 

 raised with the spade and the long tap-root severed 

 entirely, which will encourage new fibrous growth. 

 By the end of August or September they will be 

 ready to be transplanted to where they are to 

 flower. The bed for their ultimate reception should 

 have been well prepared beforehand by digging 2 

 ft. deep at least, leaving the lower soil at the 

 bottom, at the same time adding a liberal supply 

 of good cow manure. 



Hollyhocks may be treated as half-hardy 

 annuals, that is sown in boxes in January in slight 

 heat, and will flower the same summer when 

 removed to the open ground about April, after 

 being gradually hardened off in a cool frame. 



Do not crowd them when planting, but allow 

 3 ft. between each, at the same time putting in a 



