274 



PBAGTIGAL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS altera 



in the garden without any protection 

 winter after winter, as they do in many 

 cottagers' gardens, the Hollyhock fungus 

 rarely or never makes its appearance. 

 But on plants that have been raised 

 from seeds or cuttings in heat, and pro- 

 tected in frames in winter it is almost 

 sure to find a congenial home. One of 

 the best and most natural preventives 

 therefore against the fungus is to grow 

 the plants without any protection what- 

 ever, but taking all necessary precautions 

 to keep the soil clean, rich, and well- 

 drained. 



Remedies. — Many have been tried to 

 rid the plants of the fungus, but they 

 have been practically useless, except for 

 a short time. Washes of soft soap and 

 sulphur seem to have been useful in the 

 early stages of the fungus, but not after- 

 wards. Perhaps one of the best remedies 

 for plants seriously attacked is to dissolve 

 some permanganate of potash in almost 

 boiling water, and spray the plants 

 thoroughly with this by means of a very 

 fine syringe. The water wiU lose much 

 of its heat in transit from the syringe to 

 the plant, and the tiny globules of water 

 on the surface will be further cooled by 

 the surrounding air, so that the 'actual 

 temperature of the water when it strikes 

 the fungus will probably not exceed 

 150° Pahr., and the sudden increase in 

 temperature will probably kill the fungus 

 outright. This suggestion must not be 

 considered as tantamount to dipping the 

 plant in boiling water. It has proved 

 efficacious in the case of mildew on Vines 

 in fruit without the slightest injury to the 

 foliage, and if properly done should also 

 be of service to the Hollyhock. If the 

 plants are in a really bad condition and 

 beyond all hope, it is safer to take them 

 up carefully and without shaking them 

 about violently so as to spread the fungus 

 spores, and have them bm-ned. If other 

 plants are to take their place, the soil into 

 which they are to go should be well 

 watered a day or two beforehand with 

 boihng water. This wiU kill any of the 

 fungus spores which may be lurking in 

 the crevices of the soil. 



LAVATERA (Tree Mallow).— A 

 genus containing about 18 species of 

 woolly or hairy trees or shrubs, with 

 angled or lobed leaves, and flowers 

 axillary, solitary, or in terminal racemes. 

 Bracteoles of the involucre 3-6 cohering 



about half way up. Calyx 5-lobed. 

 Stamen-tube divided into numerous fila- 

 ments. 



L. arborea, — A stout-growing downy 

 shrub 6-10 ft. high, native of British and 

 S.European coasts. Leaves long-stalked, 

 roundish, with 5-9 broad, short lobes. 

 Flowers late in summer, about 2 in. across, 

 purple, glossy. The form known as 

 vm-iegata is a very beautiful plant with 

 variegated leaves, the surface of which is 

 handsomely marbled with yellow and 

 yellowish- white on a grey-green ground. 



Culture and Propagation, — This spe- 

 cies is best raised from seeds every year. 

 They may be sown out of doors in April 

 and May, or raised in gentle heat about 

 March so that the seedlings will be ready 

 for the open ground at the end of May. 

 Plants raised the first year do not attain 

 great dimensions, and it is better to keep 

 them until the second so that they may 

 appear at their best. In cold and un- 

 favourable parts of the kingdom they will 

 not stand severe winters, and in such 

 places they must be wintered in a green- 

 house or cold frame. The variegated form, 

 which is the most popular, and is much 

 used for sub-tropical gardening, is more 

 tender than the green-leaved type, and 

 consequently requires even greater pro- 

 tection in winter. 



L. Olbia. — A rough-stemmed shrub 

 about 6 ft. high, native of Provence, but 

 now naturalised ifa some parts of the 

 British Islands. Leaves soft, woolly, 

 3-5-lobed, the uppermost leaves oblong, 

 ahnost entire. Flowers from June to 

 October, reddish-purple, solitary, on short 

 stalks. 



Culiure dc. as above for L. arborea. 

 This species likes a light rich soil in open 

 sunny situations, and during the summer 

 months should be frequently watered. 



L. trimestris. — A beautiful annual 

 3-6 ft. high, native of S. Europe, Asia 

 Minor &c. Leaves smoothish, roundish, 

 heart-shaped, upper ones lobed. The 

 solitary flowers 2-3 in. across are freely 

 produced from the beginning of July to 

 October, and are of a beautiful transparent 

 rose, with deeper coloured veins, and a 

 purple blotch at the base of the petals. 

 There is also a white-flowered variety, 

 alha. 



Cultii re and Propagation. — This fine 

 species may be raised from seeds sown 

 annually either in gentle heat in March. 



