POPULAR GARDEN PLANTS. 



449 



of our gardens for more than three centuries, 

 although it is only within the last sixty years 

 that attempts to improve it have been made. 

 Charles Baron, of Saffron- Walden, a shoemaker, 

 was the first of the improvers; and he was 



Fig. 554.— Hollyhocks. 



followed by Paul, Ghater, Bircham, Parsons, 

 Roake, the Rev. Edward (afterwards Lord) 

 Hawke, and others. By their exertions what 

 was originally a single or semi-double flower 

 was brought to a high state of perfection, and 

 became largely grown for exhibition purposes. 

 The Hollyhock may be said to have reached 

 its highest popularity in the sixties. About 

 fchis time, however, a deadly fungus, Puccinia 

 malmceamm, attacked it, destroying several 

 leading collections, a considerable number of 

 Vol. I. 



the finest named varieties being wholly lost to 

 cultivation through it. In recent years this 

 terrible disease has been less injuriously active 

 than formerly, with the result that the plant 

 appears to have regained much of its former 

 vigour. New varieties are again being raised, 

 and the Hollyhock is again lifting its head 

 among border plants. 



The single-flowered forms are also to be re- 

 commended. They seed very freely, are happy 

 under ordinary conditions, they grow well and 

 flower most profusely, and they are of varied 

 colours. There are no more stately border 

 plants in July and August. In proportion as 

 the flowers of the double varieties approach 

 the highest quality, seed-production is limited. 

 Consequently there are many more expanded 

 blossoms on a spike at one time, and they are 

 much more lasting. This makes the double- 

 flowered varieties preferred by some, notwith- 

 standing their tendency to fall a prey to the 

 fungus disease and their more special require- 

 ments from the cultivator. 



Propagation. — Named varieties are increased 

 by means of cuttings or grafts or division. 

 Cuttings are made from the young shoots 

 taken off close to the old root-stock when they 

 are 3 inches long. They are planted singly in 

 small pots of light, sandy soil, and placed in a 

 cold frame, where they are sprinkled and shaded 

 till rooted. If slow in rooting they may be 

 forwarded by a gentle bottom heat; those put 

 in between October and March should always 

 have heat. 



Grafting is done both in autumn and spring, 

 the former being the best time if proper shoots 

 to use as scions are obtainable, which is not 

 always the case, especially if the plants are 

 allowed to seed: as then some time elapses 

 before they throw up shoots. It is usual to 

 use as a stock the root of some inferior variety. 

 The plants may be lifted in autumn or spring, 

 and divided with a spade in the ordinary way. 



Seeds sown in January and February on a 

 gentle bottom heat, with careful after-treatment, 

 will afford a stock which, if planted out in 

 early summer in the open, will flower the same 

 year, permitting of the selection of the best 

 varieties to be retained. Some growers sow 

 the seeds in pans or boxes in June or July, 

 pot off the young plants singly into small 

 pots, and keep them through the winter in a 

 cold frame, planting them out in early spring; 

 or they deeply dig a convenient piece of 

 ground, draw drills in it a foot or so apart, 



sow the seeds thinlv 



and allow the plants 



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