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CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENINa. 



are divided into types — that is to say, some are 

 much finer than others ; the common Ten- weeks are 

 inferior to the Pyramidal and the Perfection ; the 

 two latter are of taller and stronger growth, and 

 produce very fine spikes of large double flowers, and 

 they are recommended to the attention of those who 

 grow Stocks for exhibition purposes. Some are 

 more branching than others, but all are very good ; 

 and for general garden purposes the ordinary Ten- 

 weeks will be found satisfactory. 



Annual Stocks are classed among the half-hardy 

 annuals, and it is best and safest to sow the seed 

 under glass about the end of March, in pans or 

 shallow boxes, filled with sweet, light, sandy soil. 

 By the middle of May the plants should be getting 

 quite strong ; the pans can be placed in a sheltered 

 spot in the open ground, and when the plants are a 

 little hardened they may be transplanted into their 

 permanent places, either in beds or borders, in a good 

 lich loam. This is supposing there is no cold frame 

 at the disposal of the cultivator, but if there is, and 

 he can prick out his seedling Stocks into a well- 

 prepared bed, he will find it of great advantage to do 

 so, as when transplanted with nice balls of roots 

 they will do so much better in consequence, grow 

 stronger, and come into flower earlier. Some growers 

 of Stocks sow their seeds in the oj)en ground in 

 April, and when the plants have grown large enough, 

 thin them out, and leave the strongest to flower. 

 By doing this any check from transplanting is 

 avoided; but the seed should be sown in the open 

 ground only when the soil is rather light, sandy and 

 rich. There is another thing to be said in favour of 

 sowing seeds of Stocks in the open ground: there are 

 no losses of plants from mildew, such as frequently 

 happens when the seeds are raised in a frame. 



The Intermediate Stocks are most valuable for 

 house and window decoration in the spring, and 

 thousands of plants are grown and sent to market in 

 spring in pots. There are tw-o colours generally 

 grown — the scarlet and the white, and although the 

 scarlet is the most common, the white is not less 

 pleasing and effective, and both are very double, fine 

 in colour, and richly fragrant. The best time to sow 

 seed of Intermediate Stocks is in September, and 

 it should be done in a house or cold frame early in 

 the month, and when large enough the plants should 

 be pricked singly into small pots ; or place three or 

 four plants into a larger pot to stand the winter. The 

 usual practice is to grow single plants in a four-inch 

 pot, and when put in good soil they make fine bushy 

 specimens, blooming freely and finely. One chief 

 use of Intermediate Stocks is to put them into 

 outside window-boxes in spring, where they ai-e very 

 gay. Any small plants can be put out into the open 

 border in spring; but in order to preserve Inter- 



mediate Stocks safely through the winter, a green- 

 house or frame is absolutely necessary. 



There is a strain of Intermediate Stocks known 

 as the East Lothian. This is identical with the 

 autumnal Stocks of the German growers, and is 

 represented by a dwarf, free-growing, bushy, hardy 

 strain, that freely flowers in autumn if the seeds be 

 sown early in the year, and the plants placed in the 

 open air in good soil. There are no Stocks freer in 

 flowering than these autumnal types ; and if the 

 winter be mild they continue to bloom all through 

 the spring. They are much used in Scotland, and 

 that is how it is they have come to be known as East 

 Lothian Stocks. They are well deserving the atten- 

 tion of the flower gardener. 



Under the head of Brompton Stocks we get three 

 or four types differing somewhat in character, but 

 all are remarkable for the size of their spikes of 

 bloom, and their striking appearance in our gardens 

 during May and June. True Brompton Stocks are 

 of tall, vigorous growth ; the scarlet and white 

 giant varieties produce remarkable spikes of large 

 double flowers. There is a giant purple variety also, 

 but it is somewhat scarce. On the other hand, the 

 Queen Stocks are dwarf and bushy, and very free in 

 bloom ; and it is the purple, white, and scarlet flowers 

 of these that can be seen in bunches in Covent 

 Garden and other markets during the months of 

 May and June. A good strain is very double in 

 character, and no better or more useful biennial 

 Stocks can be grown for cutting purposes. The 

 Emperor Stocks are between these two, having the 

 characteristics of both ; individual plants branch very 

 much, and throw many and fine spikes of bloom. 

 They represent, in aU probability, a giant form of 

 the autumnal Stocks. Then there are the dwarf 

 Cape Stocks, closely resembling the Emperor, rather 

 freer in growth, but not quite so prolific of bloom as 

 the autumnal varieties. The colours of aU these 

 four types are limited; the best are purple, white, 

 and scarlet. We have described their characters a 

 little fully because they are found in seed catalogues, 

 and we are desirous that our readers shotdd know as 

 much about them as possible. 



Seeds of all the biennial Stocks should be sown in 

 the open ground during May and J une ; the result 

 will be good strong plants for transplanting during 

 showery weather about August. These Stocks do 

 well under the shade of trees and shrubs ; for if too 

 much exposed on cold soil they are liable to damage 

 from frost, especially if the plants be very robust and 

 succulent. 



There are two or three points about Stocks that 

 are a little puzziing. One is the existence of what are 

 known as Wallflower-leaved varieties. The leaves 

 of the ordinary Stocks are greyish-green, soft and 



