Jam Auv .'{, 1907. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



481 



that the roots of young trees and shrubs 

 should not be exposed to frost, so in- 

 struct the parties you buy from to well 

 protect the roots. As soon as received 

 lay them in a frame in five or six inches 

 of soil and cover the roots carefully and 

 four or five inches up the stem. Leave 

 them there till the first week in March. 

 If the frame is covered with sasli, give 

 ventilation on all bright, warm days, or 

 the eyes may get a premature start. 

 Early in ^larch pot them and start in a 

 cool house. The hybrid porpetuals will 

 want to be cut down to within six inches 

 of the pot, but you need not do this till 

 you see the eyes swell, when you can tell 

 better just how high or low to prune 

 them. The Ramblers will not want any 

 pruning except to shorten back the ends 

 of the unripencd tops of the canes. Pot 

 firmly and the first two weeks under glass 

 syringe frequently. W. S. 



HOLLYHOCKS. 



History of the Flower. 



Some little time ago I had the pleas- 

 ure of inspecting the cultivation of hol- 

 lyhocks in their latest and most im- 

 proved form at the nurseries of Messrs. 

 Webb & Brand, Saffron Walden, Eng- 

 land; although I had seen double holly- 

 hocks grown for some years, the named 

 sorts in these luirseries were a great sur- 

 prise and source of gratification to me. 



As is well known, these nurseries are 

 famed, and enjoy a higher reputation 

 for hollyhocks than any other horticul- 

 tural concern. Hollyhocks became asso- 

 ciated with Saffron Walden nearly a 

 hundred years ago, through the efforts 

 of the local shoemaker, who cultivated 

 them, hybridized and raised new vari- 

 eties. It a{)pears that two double forms, 

 and two only, had been known to culti- 

 vation for 300 years before this shoe- 

 maker commenced to cross these two, 

 and raise other double forms. After a 

 time the local seedsman, Wm. Chater, 

 became interc'^ted in this amateur's 

 work, and there we have the origin of 

 Chater 's improved double hollyhocks, 

 known to every horticulturist. Pub- 

 lishing his first catalogue of named va- 

 rieties in 1S47, he yearly added improved 

 sorts until about 1873, when the holly- 

 hock fungus nia<lo its appearance. 



This disease for a time quite mastered 

 Mr. Chater and many of his best vari- 

 eties were lost. For many years no 

 plant could be obtained free from the 

 disea.se and hollyhocks were rarely seen; 

 but for some years now George Webb, 

 of Webb (S: Brand, has improved the few 

 remaining varieties of Chater, and also 

 discovered a mixture and a method of 

 cultivation by which tlio disease can be 

 combatted and prevented. 



Propagation. 



Before the disease made its appear- 

 and', hollyhocks were i>rop:igatcd by 

 nieaiis of cuttings, grafting, budding, 

 ami by seed, the three former methods 

 reqniring the old plants to be wintered 

 under ginss. but these processes simply 

 propngate<l the disease and ruined the 

 plants, conseipiently .seed became the 

 only successful method of increase. ^Ir. 

 Webb lias by selection and eross-fertili- 

 zati(ui obtained a class of named vari- 

 eties uf every color, except blue, which 

 will come ninety per cent true to color 

 and form. By continual selection and 

 application of his own mixture for check- 

 ing the disease, the plants he sends out 

 and the plant.s obtained from his seed 

 are practically immune from any attack 



Basket Arranged by J. J. Foley, New York. 



of disease. Briefly, his methods are the 

 following: 



Culture. 



The s(H.'(l is sown in tlie open grmind, 

 in single thills, on well ])re|)ared soil, 

 made fiiu> and rich. During the months 

 of May and .lune. if the weather is fa 

 voraVile, it will soon germinate and form 

 fine single taproot. When this gets the 

 size of a cedar pencil the plants an- 

 slightly raised and thi.s tayunot severed. 

 This pro<-(>ss will cause the jilant to form 

 a large (|uanlity of surface fibers, when 

 it will at once grow and make large 

 base lea\es. As soon as this growth 

 commences tln-y should be '^liit'ted to 

 their lloweiing (juarlers. 



Hollyhocks want a deep, rnii, hea\ily 

 iiiainir(»d soil. It mu.'<t be wi^ll ilug tn 

 the dejith of two feet. ' nw iu:inure is 

 the most suitable fertilizer. Tlicy enjoy 

 a soil of a fairly heavy nature. ;ind one 

 that will hold nuiistiire well. The final 

 t r;insj>laiiting i< dmie nut later than tiic 

 li(>ginning nf Scptcmbel-. The hnjlyhock 

 is oidy hardy in winter when tirinly es 

 taldislied. Then it i-an stand ;iiiy 

 annuint of frost. They w;int ]>leiity oi' 

 room, qtiile three t'eet apart e.-o-h way. 

 The plants ar<^ smnet lines allacke<l ity 

 yiubs which work from the rout into 

 the center of the stem, causing the jilaiit 

 to rot otV. A sharp hiokoiit must be 

 kept for any plants which may be found 

 flagging from this cause, and a dressiiiff 

 of limi' or some other grub rtMuedy be 

 a 1 1] died. 



If at all a dry season the plants will 

 well rejiay a fre<|uent he:i\y watering 

 or a li(>:ivy mulching. Tnr exhibition 

 spikes the liuds must In- thinned out, and 

 the Sjiike made even and siiapely. Webb 



i*i: I'.raud get massive, well tilled spikes 

 with sometimes four feet of blooms. 



If they are intended to bloom a sec- 

 ond year, the eyes (Ui each crown will 

 need protection fnun snow an<l r;iin. 



Diseases and Remedies. 



Kurther than the above method of 

 ! e rowing from seed nothing is required. 

 i In addition to the disease mentioned, 

 , tliere is ."mother trouble in the form of a 

 disease that attacks the plants just as 

 they are coming into iilooin. The plant 

 sini|ily withers and dies in a few hours, 

 similar to the sleeping disease in toma- 

 toes, only acting quicker. Mr. Webb 

 say> this is the result of overfeeding. 



A dressing of t(di:icco powder and car- 

 biijic a<-id iiiixeil together, sprinkled on 

 the under suifa<'e of the leaves, is one 

 |iie\ I'tit i\ e f(i|- the I'uiigiis diseaso, and 

 will ;ils(i destroy the red spider, from 

 xWiicJi till' plant is much trouble(l. The 

 liillouing is the recipe which Mr. Webb 

 le^idariy usi'.s: Otu' bushel slaked lime, 

 Miie peck of soot, two poumls flour of 

 -iii|iliur, two ounces suljihate of eojiper 

 liiicjy powdered. Allnw the lime to cool 

 befnre mixing well together. Apply dur- 

 ing cool, dull weatiiei-. usin',' a French 



liellowS. 



Best Sorts. 



The following is a list of name. I sorts, 



ii'ciiimnendod as being the finest of their 



color and the best double siia|ie, free 



from any trace of disea.se: Amaranth, 



; ;im:iraiith-pink ; Alfrcl Cjiater, mottled 



i rose; Apple Blossom, wliite tinted pink; 



] I'dack Kniiiht. black; <'onst;ince, s.almon 



' rose; Crimson <^ueen, dark ci-inis(ui ; I'ire 



' King, brilliant red; .loy. cerise; Ovid, 



' (dear rose; .Miss Bi/.zie l\inL^ .vellow; 



I'eii. suljijiui'; Ta lisiii;ni. cream. ,T. B. 



