io GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



it is impossible to get away from trees and shrubs planted by one's neigh- 

 bour to overhang the fence and east a deep shadow across one part of 

 the garden. There the Foxglove is quite content to flower and repro- 

 duce itself by self-sown seedlings, in truth to establish a colony. Sow 

 the seed in May or June where the seedlings are to remain, or plant 

 out seedlings in the autumn or in the spring. Get some seed of a strain 

 called Gloxiniaeflora, which has larger flowers than those of our native 

 kind ; it is really an improvement upon it. Many of the forms are very 

 handsome, say a pure white bloom richly blotched inside with chocolate, 

 dabs of dark colour on a snowy ground. 



Hollyhocks. Hollyhocks are recovering from the disease, and 

 grouped freely make picturesque features in the border or arranged 

 against perhaps an oaken fence or grey stone wall. All the garden forms 

 have been derived from the species Alihxa rosea, and remember that 

 good living keeps the disease in check. The plants need very rich soil, 

 plenty of manure, and when the spikes are rising liquid manure occasionally 

 will be helpful. Stake the stems securely, and try and get varieties of a 

 good colour. In "Wood and Garden,"p. 105, it is mentioned: "Hollyhocks 

 have been fine in spite of the disease, which may be partly checked by 

 very liberal treatment. By far the most beautiful is one of a pure pink 

 colour, with a wide outer frill. It came first from a cottage garden, and 

 has always since been treasured. I call it Pink Beauty. The wide 

 outer petal (a heresy to the florist) makes the flower infinitely more 

 beautiful than the all-over full-double form that alone is esteemed upon 

 the show table. I shall hope in time to come upon the same shape of 

 flower in white, sulphur, rose-colour, and deep blood-crimson, the 

 colours most worth having in Hollyhocks." There are several ways of 

 increasing Hollyhocks. A very simple one is by seed, but unfortunately 

 one cannot be quite sure that the seedlings will reproduce the likeness 

 of the parent. Frequently single flowers occur, which though showy 

 and beautiful, are quickly past their best, and a dingy magenta or purple 

 is common too, a flower harsh, unpleasant, and unnatural. Seedlings 

 are less likely to perpetuate the disease than cuttings, eyes, or root 

 division, but when named varieties are desired, and there are still some 

 of the old kinds in existence before the visitation of disease, by cutting 

 eyes or roots is the way to proceed. The time to sow seed is early 

 autumn or in February. Sow in a cold frame and in a shallow pan 

 filled with ordinary soil. Pot off and transplant in the usual way, and 

 when increasing by division let this be done in spring when new growth 

 is commencing. We do not advise the amateur to raise Hollyhocks by 

 either eyes or cuttings. When the disease appears remove all affected 

 leaves and burn them, then spray the plants with Bordeaux mixture. 

 Give an application once a week for three weeks. There are several 

 charming species of Hollyhock one is the single, soft yellow A.ficifolia. 

 It is a fine garden plant, graceful and refined, lemon yellow in colour, 

 sometimes almost white a dainty plant in all ways. 



Irises. There are two groups of Iris, one bulbous, and the other 

 is called rhizomatous ; the former is dealt with in the list of bulbous 

 flowers, and many are also considered in the tables given at the end of 



