AUGUST 105 



their rocky home in the island of Capri. One is a 

 Sweetbriar, in all ways like the native one, except 

 that the flowers are nearly white, and the hips are 

 larger. Last year the bush was distinctly more showy 

 than any other of its kind, on account of the size and 

 unusual quantity of the fruit. The other is a form 

 of Bosa sempervircTis, with rather large white flowers 

 faintly tinged with yellow. 



Hollyhocks have been fine, in spite of the disease, 

 which may be partly checked by very hberal treat- 

 ment. 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 in- 

 finitely more beautiful than the all-over full-double 

 form that alone is esteemed on 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 Holly- 

 hocks. 



Lavender has been unusually fine; to reap its 

 fragrant harvest is one of the many joys of the flower 

 year. If it is to be kept and dried, it should be cut 

 when as yet only a few of the purple blooms are out 

 on the spike ; if left too late, the flower shakes off the 

 stalk too readily. 



Some plantations of Lilium Harrisi and Zilium 

 auratum have turned out well. Some of the Harrisi 



