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always a chance of obtaining some really 

 fine varieties, whereas the other methods 

 simply reproduce their parents. Seeds 

 ha\e the further advantage of requiring 

 no glass protection; and on the whole 

 plants obtained by this means are not 

 nearly so liable to attacks of the dreaded 

 Hollyhock disease as plants raised from 

 cuttings that have been rooted in heat. 

 The seeds may be sown in the open 

 border in May, and the seedlings may be 

 afterwards pricked out about 6 in. apart 

 in a prepared bed of fine soil. About the 

 first or second week in September they 

 may be transplanted to the spot in which 

 they are to bloom the following year, and 

 there should be at least 3 ft. between the 

 plants in the beds or borders. If planted 

 too close to each other, a good circulation 

 of air is prevented, and this in itself is 

 favourable to the development of the 

 Hollyhock disease mentioned below. 



Cuttings are taken in the summer and 

 autumn by cutting out the matured side 

 shoots, or firom shoots at the base of the 

 stem. They may be inserted in sandy 

 soil either singly in small pots, or several 

 in a shallow box or pan, and placed at first 

 in a close shaded frame, a little air being 

 given after a few days. As the plants 

 become well rooted and established, they 

 should receive all the air and light possible 

 so that they may never be subject to a 

 damp and sluggish atmosphere. 



General Bemarks. — Although vigorous 

 Hollyhocks will shoot their strong stems 

 up to a height of 8 to 12 ft. they are 

 liable if at all exposed to strong winds to 

 be blown about, and more or less spoiled. 

 It is advisable therefore to supply stoutish 

 stakes 4-6 ft. high at the time of planting, 

 so as to prevent injury to the roots at a 

 later period. As the stems lengthen they 

 may be tied to the stakes with a piece of 

 raffia or tar twine. The tie should first 

 of all be made firmly round the stake at 

 the desired height so that it will not slip 

 up and down. The loop of the tie may 

 then be left large enough for the stem, 

 but not so tight as to cut into the bark. 



As the lower flowers, which open first, 

 begin to fade, the petals only should be 

 removed if seeds are required, leaving the 

 pods to ripen ; but if not, the pod and all 

 may be removed for the sake of a tidy 

 appearance. The spikes themselves, if 

 out and placed in water, wUl retain their 

 freshness for a considerable time and the 

 flowers will continue to open. By fre- 



quently cutting a piece off the bottom of 

 the stem the blossoms last longer. 



When the flowers, seed-pods, and 

 leaves have finished their season's work, 

 the plants may be cut down to within 6 

 in. of the ground, and the soil may be 

 raised a little around the crowns to throw 

 off the cold rains of winter, which are 

 injurious if not drained away from the 

 roots. In this protected state the root- 

 stocks pass through severe winters safely, 

 and make vigorous shoots the following 

 spring. Treated in this way plants will 

 continue to flower profusely for several 

 years without being disturbed, but it is 

 always safe to raise a stock of yoimg 

 plants regularly by one or other of the 

 methods described above. 



Insect Pests. — In hot weather red- 

 spider is apt to be very troublesome to 

 the foliage, if the plants have not been 

 fi-equently syringed. A daily application 

 of water to the leaves, and particularly 

 the under surface, will keep this pest 

 away, and also serve to water the plants. 

 Thrips are also fond of the Hollyhock, 

 but may be checked by the same means. 

 In the early stages of growth the spittle- 

 fly is somewhat mischievous, but is easily 

 destroyed between the finger and thumb. 



The Hollyhock Fungus (Puccinia 

 malvacearum) is by far the most serious 

 disease the gardener has to cope with. It 

 is a native of Chili, whence it was intro- 

 duced to Europe about 1869, and in 4 

 or 5 years had spread with great rapidity, 

 dealing destruction all round to Hollyhocks 

 in England, France, Germany, Holland, 

 Hungary and parts of Italy. 



The fungus appears in early summer 

 in yellow or orange spots on the leaves — 

 usually the under surface — and stems of 

 the Hollyhock. The spots rapidly in- 

 crease in size, becoming brown in colour, 

 and when in great profusion interfere 

 with the work of the leaves to such an 

 extent that the flower-forming material 

 is either checked or absorbed by the 

 parasite with the natural consequence that 

 the flowers never develop and the consti- 

 tution of the entire plant is ruined. 



When a hardy plant like the Holly- 

 hock is increased in large numbers with 

 the aid of artificial heat, it is not un- 

 natural that its once hardy constitution 

 should undergo a change, become more 

 delicate in fact, and thus be unable to 

 resist the attacks of its natural enemies. 

 Where Hollyhocks are allowed to stand 



