450 



THE GAEDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



to remain in this position until the following 

 spring. 



Soil. — The Hollyhock is a gross feeder, and 

 should have a deeply -dug and well -manured 

 soil. The old growers trenched their ground, 

 working in an abundance of manure; and after 

 the plants had become established they were 

 mulched with half -decomposed manure, and 

 copious waterings given. Such liberal treat- 

 ment results in vigorous growth and fine spikes 

 of bloom. No plant more readily answers to 

 liberal culture, or suffers more when starved 

 in poor soil. The tall stems should be sup- 

 ported with stout stakes quite 5 feet high. 



The Hollyhock is a perfectly hardy plant, but 

 is liable to harm from excessive moisture in 

 winter when planted on low-lying or imperfectly 

 drained ground ; and when it is sought to estab- 

 lish a permanent plantation this fact should be 

 borne in mind. In cold and moist northern 

 localities it is customary to lift choice varieties 

 in autumn and either pot them or plant them 

 out in a prepared bed in a cold frame. 



Selection of Doublc-floivered Varieties. 



Alba superba. A fine white. 



Alfred Chafer. Bright-rose. 



Amaranth. Soft amaranth-pink, extra fine. 



Bijou. Scarlet tinted with buff. 



Carus Chater. Crimson-scarlet. 



ExvZtium. Purplish-maroon. 



Fin King. Bright reddish-carmine. 



Golden l>r<>p. Fine pure-yellow. 



Mulberry Gem. Rich glowing-mulberry. 



Nymph. White, tinted delicate -pink. 



Primrost (ran. Primrose. 



Walden King. Deep-crimson. 



[R. D.] 



Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis). — One of 

 the best-known of garden flowers, with a his- 

 tory which goes back some 300 years. Gerard 

 (1596) mentions purple, white, single, and double 

 blue varieties, and Philip Miller states that in 

 the early part of last century 2000 varieties 

 were enumerated in the catalogues of the Dutch 

 growers. 



Hyacinths are most successfully grown in and 

 near Haarlem in Holland. There the soil is 

 almost pure sand, but the ground is enriched 

 with frequent dressings of cow-manure. It is 

 probable that the Hyacinth might be grown to 

 as great perfection in England as in Holland, 

 for our climate is as suitable as that of Haarlem. 

 It is a mistake to suppose that the bulbs de- 

 generate in England. Attempts have been made 

 from time to time in this country to compete 

 with the Dutch in the Hyacinth trade, but 



they have not been supported by buyers, and 

 the Dutch produce still holds the field. 





Fig. 555.— Single Hyacinths. 



Propagation, — The Hyacinth seeds as freely 

 in England as in Holland, and the seeds, if 



v. W f r / 



Fig. 556.— Double Hyacinths. 



sown as soon as ripe, in boxes in frames, in fine 

 sandy soil, germinate freely. 



