ON REARIKG FLOWERS. 



143 



hand-glass iu a warm situation, they may be brought into 

 flower in almost constant succession through the^^ summer 

 months. Hollyhocks, likewise, and rockets, may be in- 

 creased by dividing the roots, and will frequently flower, 

 as has been before stated, for several years successively. 

 The double varieties of the Brompton and Queen stocks 

 neither produce seed nor are capable of being increased 

 by cuttings ; therefore it is recommended, by writers on 

 the subject, to plant a single one of the same colour by 

 the side of the double one, when, it is said, the seeds of 

 the single one will prodiice plants with double flowers. 

 This theory, it must be confessed, is rather a strange one, 

 but, in the absence of any other sure method of repro- 

 ducing these plants with double flowers, it may be 

 adopted, and perhaps with success. 



The general treatment given to biennials is precisely 

 the same as that recommended for perennials, and parti- 

 cular attention should be paid to securing them timely 

 and properly to stakes of such a size as they may require. 

 The numerous varieties of hollyhock should es]3ecially 

 be staked as soon as the flower-stems commence growing ; 

 and if stakes of a sufiScient size and strength cannot readily 

 be procured, they should be planted at a short distance 

 from a wall or paling, and loosely fastened (not trained) 

 thereto. All others that require supporting should be 

 secured to stakes in the early period of their growth, 

 according to the directions before given for perennials. 



In the case of such plants as produce no seed, or those 

 of which the seed is not desii*ed, particularly with snap- 

 dragons and Brompton stocks, if the flowers are plucked 

 oS" as soon as they begin to decay, they soon produce a 

 succession of blossoms, and will not only continue flower- 

 ing during the greater part of the season, but will not 

 unfrequently (especially the former) flower for several 

 years. But, however desirable this may be with very 

 fine sorts, the flov/ers produced on such plants are never 

 so good as those of young plants, and hence it is much 

 better to renew them annually, either by cuttings or seed. 



The majority of biennial flowers will flourish in any 

 common garden-soil, but a light and rather rich loam is 

 most suitable for them. The various species of Oenothera, 



