304 AN HOUR WITH THE HOLLYHOCK. 



will trace their culture. First, let us ask, " Have these 

 plants been raised from grafts, cuttings, or from seed ?" 

 Cuttings or seedlings we think preferable, where the 

 correctness of the latter can be guaranteed by the raiser 

 having previously bloomed them ; but as some kinds only 

 are reproduced true from seed, it is likely the stock will 

 consist partly of plants raised from cuttings or grafts. 

 One thing is certain, the stock should be renewed every 

 year, either by purchasing or propagating. However 

 abundantly old plants may bloom, they will not produce 

 such large handsome spikes of flowers as young ones. 

 Whether obtained in autumn or spring, they should be at 

 once transferred from the small pots, in which they have 

 been kept for convenience in removal, to larger ones, 

 using a compost of turfy loam, sand, and decomposed 

 manure, placing them in a cold pit until they may be 

 safely planted in the open ground in May. 



In preparing the ground for planting, it should be dug 

 two-spit deep. Where spring planting is intended, throw 

 up the earth in ridges in autumn, that it may become 

 mellowed by the winter's frost. In all cases this practice 

 is beneficial, but it is especially so where the soil is of 

 close texture or retentive of moisture. A good dressing 

 of manure, not too far decomposed, may be strewed over 

 the soil previous to ridging, and mixed in during the 

 operation. One advantage of this is, the manure will keep 

 the clods light, and give the sun and air a free entry ; and, 

 further, the soil will become more evenly impregnated 

 with the nutritious properties of the manure as they are 

 washed down by the rain. One point, when planting, 

 of too great importance to be overlooked, is the state of the 

 ground. To use a common gardening phrase, the earth 

 should " move like an ash-heap" at the time this work is 

 done : rather would we wait a fortnight beyond the most 

 advantageous season, than plant when the ground is wet 

 or clammy. The plants should be set firmly in the 

 ground three feet apart, not too low, pressing the soil well 



