BOLL YHOCK. 91 



steaming heat, which caused a quick growth and a cor- 

 responding debility of constitution. The practice has been 

 abandoned, because the demand for named hollyhocks has 

 declined, and now the plants are generally raised from 

 seed, and as such are biennials, flowering in the second 

 year, but becoming perennials, if needful, at the discretion 

 of the cultivator. 



It is a fortunate circumstance that seedling hollyhocks 

 do not greatly vary from the form and colour of the parent 

 flowers. It follows that, when the seed is obtained from 

 plants carefully selected for their fine qualities, a good 

 bloom may be expected by adopting the simplest and the 

 cheapest method of cultivation. The seeds may be sown 

 at any time from March to August ; but early sowing is 

 advisable, as the plants can be put out in time to make a 

 free growth the first season, to prepare them for a strong 

 bloom in the season following. 



As a considerable number of the finest named sorts, 

 that were things of renown fifty years ago, are still in cul- 

 tivation, the propagation by divisions and cuttings is still 

 a matter of some importance. The time for this business 

 is in the decline of the summer, or early in the autumn. 

 It is an easy matter to detach from the base a short shoot 

 or portion of the stool, and these being potted, and kept 

 through the winter in a frame, will grow freely in the 

 spring, and should be planted out as soon as the weather 

 permits in April or May — the earlier the better, provided 

 there is no particular danger of injury from frost. In 

 places much exposed the planting must be later than in 

 warm, sheltered situations. 



The requisites for the production of a fine bloom of 

 hollyhocks are a deep, rich, moist soil ; perfect drainage, to 



