THE FLORISTS' FLOWER GARDEN. 



799 



so late a period the floral interest of our gar- 

 dens. 



The hollyhock is capable of being propagated 

 only by the three following modes : — 



Propagation by seed.— Most of the flowers, 

 however double, will be found, on close exami- 

 nation, to contain the necessary parts of fructifi- 

 cation ; and these often naturally impregnate 

 themselves, and may be made to do so by draw- 

 ing a camel-hair pencil lightly over the stamens ; 

 the pollen which adheres to it can then be 

 readily applied to the styles or female parts of 

 the same flower, or carried to those of another. 

 By impregnating a flower with its own pollen, 

 seedlings of some sorts will come almost identi- 

 cal with the parent ; in the majority of cases, 

 differences, less or more marked, will be pro- 

 duced. Other cases, where the form is defec- 

 tive and the colour good, may be improved by 

 crossing with a perfectly formed flower, and 

 rice versa. In saving seed from very double 

 sorts, they should be planted in a poor soil, the 

 flowers thinned considerably, and the spike 

 allowed to grow to its natural height. Those 

 which are more thin of petals, and intended for 

 seed-bearing, should be planted in a very rich 

 soil, and have their spikes shortened to about 

 half their length. The best time for impreg- 

 nating the flowers is in the early part of the day, 

 when the flowers are dry ; and the process 

 should be continued day after day, as the "flowers 

 expand, until a sufficient number toward the 

 bottom of the spike are impregnated. Such 

 flowers as have taken will in a short time indi- 

 cate themselves by the swelling of the seed- 

 vessel ; and when such is observed, the decaying 

 petals should be carefully removed by the hand. 

 Should dry weather occur during the swelling of 

 the seed-vessel, copious supplies of water should 

 be given at the roots ; and as the seed-vessel 

 begins to shrivel and dry up, it is a certain indi- 

 cation that the seed has attained its maturity. 

 When this is ascertained to be the case, they 

 should be removed from the plant when quite 

 dry, and placed in thin canvass bags, keeping 

 each sort separate and correctly labelled, and 

 hung up in a dry airy room or loft; but the seed 

 should not be removed from the calyx. The 

 sorts which flower late, and such as are grown 

 in cold situations, will often not ripen their seed 

 in the open air. In such cases the spikes may 

 be cut off, and placed with one end in vessels 

 of water, and set in a greenhouse or vinery, 

 where they will ripen perfectly. 



Autumn, as soon as the seeds are ripened, and 

 also spring, are the periods for sowing. Autumn- 

 sowing is preferable, provided the seed is ripened 

 sufficiently early to enable the young plants to 

 attain a size and strength to carry them through 

 the winter. Spring-sowing should not be de- 

 ferred beyond the beginning of March, to give 

 the plants all the growth possible before their 

 time of flowering in autumn. The seeds, in 

 both cases, should be sown in pots or pans 

 thinly, in light rich soil, and placed in a pit in 

 which a mild bottom-heat can be maintained. 

 When the plants have formed two or three 

 leaves, they should bp pricked out singly into 

 3-inch pots, and kept close to the glass, and 



freely exposed to light and air. If strong plants 

 be desired, these should be shifted by the first 

 of March into 4-inch pots, kept under glass, 

 yet abundantly supplied with air, till the 

 beginning of May, when they may be planted 

 out where they are to flower. They should be 

 set in rows, 3 feet apart, and 1 foot plant 

 from plant in the line. The ground should be 

 trenched and moderately manured, and the 

 plants supplied with water during the heat of 

 summer ; and if the ground between the rows 

 is mulched with littering manure or tan, a 

 greater degree of moisture will be maintained at 

 their roots, and the ground be more comfortable 

 to walk upon while examining the flowers, as 

 well as during the process of staking and tying 

 them up. The season of their beginning to 

 bloom is one of great interest to the florist. 

 Every flower should be examined, and those 

 which prove of inferior merit should be instantly 

 pulled up and thrown away. Plants from seed 

 are the best ; but with a view to secure a stock 

 of any choice variety unchanged, recourse must 

 be had to division of the roots, or increasing 

 them by eyes or cuttings. Some varieties come 

 so true from seed that it is very difficult to 

 trace a difference between them and the parent; 

 but this is not to be depended upon except in 

 a few cases. In cold situations, seed-bearing 

 plants should be planted against a south wall to 

 insure their ripening. 



Propagation by division of the root. — Imme- 

 diately after the plants have done flowering, the 

 roots should be carefully dug up, and divided 

 into two, three, and sometimes four portions, 

 according to their size and number of eyes or 

 buds on the crown. A sharp knife should be 

 used in dividing the crown, but care must be 

 taken that the roots be as little cut as possible, 

 for each portion should have as many roots as 

 can be secured. They should then be potted in 

 pots according to their size, and plunged in a 

 cool pit, and protected with glass till spring. 

 About the end of April or beginning of May, 

 they should be planted out where they are to 

 flower. 



Propagation by cuttings and single eyes. — Ex- 

 cellent plants are produced by these means, and 

 the operation may be carried on from March to 

 October — that is, as soon as cuttings can be 

 got off in spring, and as late in autumn as they 

 can be furnished with roots. The cuttings are fit 

 for taking off when they become somewhat hard at 

 their base, and should be set in sandy soil in pots 

 5 inches in diameter, placing four cuttings in 

 each pot around the edge. Water slightly at 

 planting, and plunge the pots in a mild bottom- 

 heat in a close frame or pit. Some dispense 

 with the bottom heat ; the only difference is 

 in the time of rooting. When the plants have 

 made four or five new leaves and corresponding 

 roots, they should be potted off into 4-inch 

 pots singly, and forwarded in growth by being 

 kept in a cool pit under glass till the end of 

 April in England, or the middle of May in 

 Scotland, when they should be planted out 

 where they are to flower. Planting will depend 

 on circumstances. Nurserymen who plant more 

 for stock than effect, set their plants in parallel 



