THE HOLLYHOCK. 



401 



select well-ripened roots of single varieties, or, if single ones are not pro- 

 curable, portions of the roots of old double ones, and cut them into lengths 

 of about four inches. The system generally adopted is that of whip- 

 grafting ; treat these exactly as recommended for the cuttings. 



There is yet another system by which they may be propagated. This 

 is by budding in the summer on to the roots of single varieties. Select 

 well-ripened side shoots of the summer growth, as advised for the summer 

 propagation, and insert them in the root close to the neck of the stock, 

 similar to the budding of Dwarf Hoses on the seedling Brier. 



In propagating under glass it must be borne in mind that there must 

 be no suspicion of disease (Puccinia malvaceamm), since the somewhat 

 close and damp atmosphere of a greenhouse is a most suitable breeding- 

 ground for its development, and when plants are once attacked it is very 

 difficult indeed to eradicate it ; hence the raising of seedlings under glass 

 for flowering the following summer is not recommended. 



There is another form of disease peculiar to Hollyhocks, which 

 wrought great havoc amongst them in past years, and when prevalent 

 was more destructive even than the Puccinia of modern times, since it 

 did not attack its victim until the plant was just coming into flower, and 

 in some instances until actually in full bloom, and then the whole plant 

 would wither and die in a few hours, which was considered at that time 

 very mysterious, and to which no apparent cause could be attributed, the 

 plants to all appearance being perfectly healthy during the evening, and 

 by the morning completely withered up. The late Mr. W. Chater attri- 

 buted it to their being planted in new soil freshly broken up. I have 

 not seen this disease for years ; in fact, practically nothing of it has been 

 discerned since the competitive times ; hence I think we may be safe in 

 assuming it had its origin from overfeeding with undecomposed manure 

 and other gross materials in order to obtain extra large blooms for ex- 

 hibition purposes, which no doubt brought about a disease at the root, as 

 no trace of any form of disease was to be seen either on leaf or stem. 



With regard to the Puccinia of to-day, I very much question whether 

 any specific in the way of dressing &c. has yet been discovered that 

 has proved effectual in eradicating it, but as a preventive I have found 

 nothing to equal a preparation sold by chemists to farmers for dipping 

 sheep, which appears to be a mixture of tobacco-powder and carbolic acid. 

 A sprinkling of this on the under surface of the leaf in the early stages of 

 growth is a great help in warding off the attacks of the fungus in question. 

 It acts also as a means of keeping down the red spider, to which Holly- 

 hocks are very subject in dry seasons ; but if the hardy treatment is 

 adopted in all its particulars, both in the raising of the plants and in 

 their after-cultivation, Puccinia need not cause any terror. 



