314 AN HOUR WITH THE HOLLYHOCK. 



" When the spike is fully blown, the uppermost flower 

 should crown or cover the top. 



" A few small green leaves projecting between the 

 flowers increases the beauty of the spike. 



As a last point, it is highly important that the colours 

 be bright, strong, and distinct." 



Here we have the collective opinion of the principal 

 growers of the Hollyhock in England, both florists and 

 amateurs. It will be observed, the first aim is to enforce 

 the doctrine of quality before quantity ; and in this effort 

 we believe all true lovers of the beautiful will sympathise ; 

 for if an object is to be pronounced beautiful or perfect in 

 proportion to its size, then should we prefer the unwieldly 

 bulk of the hippopotamus to the delicate, graceful, and 

 symmetrical organism of the Italian greyhound. Without 

 objecting to any of the opinions given above, we may 

 perhaps be allowed to qualify and more clearly define 

 certain of them. The ball forming the centre of the flower 

 should in no case exceed half a globe, and the smallest 

 flower admissible should be five inches in diameter. Open 

 spaces in the flower termed pockets are highly objec- 

 tionable. We would not limit the length of the spike, and 

 the longer the footstalks, provided they be strong and 

 hold the flower well up to view, the better. In striped, 

 edged, mottled, and shaded flowers, the ground and over- 

 laying colour .should be distinct, well defined, and free 

 from all confusion. The guard petals should be flat, of 

 great substance, neither ridgy, serrated, nor curled. 



We think it will be tolerably evident to all who have a 

 just view of the flower under discussion, that the distance 

 of the ideal standard from the existing forms is sufficiently 

 great to offer encouragement to the seedling raiser, and at 

 the same time not so far removed as to be unattainable. 

 The florist requires a stimulus beyond that presented by 

 ordinary forms ; and why should not he be permitted to 

 body forth an ideal beauty, as well as the sculptor, the 

 painter, or the poet ? And who shall say his object shall 



