90 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
soil and a sunny position. A medium soil, not too light or too 
heavy, suits them well. If heavy, the plants die in winter; 
if light, they suffer from drought in summer. Where the soil 
is heavy, mix plenty of grit, leaf-mould, and decayed manure 
with it, so as to lighten it, and also trench deeply. Where 
it is light, dig deeply also, and place a thick layer of cow 
dung between each layer or spit of soil. A little clay mixed 
with a light soil would also be beneficial. In the case of 
ordinary soils, plenty of rotten manure and decayed turf should 
be mixed with them. The best time to plant choice sorts is 
the end of March ; and the same remarks apply to seedling 
plants that have to be purchased. Home-reared seedlings can 
be planted in October. In the spring-time, when growth 
actively begins, it will be a good plan to place a stout stake 
to each plant, and as the flower-stems develop tie them to this. 
In sheltered gardens stakes are not indispensable, as the 
plants will take care of themselves, and we really think they 
look better not too formally braced up. In May it is a good 
plan to mulch the surface of the soil around each plant with 
decayed manure ; indeed, this is absolutely necessary in the 
case of light soils. When the spikes get well advanced give 
liquid manure once or twice a week. In dry weather, too, 
copious waterings, especially on light soils, will be advisable. 
When the flowering season is over, cut the stems off to within 
a foot of their base, and a little later on draw the mould up 
round the base of the plants to protect them. In the case of 
any choice sort, it will be well to carefully lift and pot the 
root, then place it in a cold frame till spring. This precaution 
is necessary on heavy soils. Those plants that survive the 
winter should be top dressed with decayed manure, this being 
forked in. If it be desired to save seeds, gather the pods late 
in autumn when brown, spread them on a sheet of paper near a 
warm window to finish ripening, then remove the seeds, dry 
them, and store in packets till spring, or sow at once. The 
hollyhock is specially liable to injury by the hollyhock fungus 
and red spider. 
Alyssum (Madwort). — Pretty rockery or border peren- 
nials belonging to the Wallflower family (Cruciferae) A. mari- 
timum (Sweet Alyssum), known also as Koeniga maritima, 
grows a foot high and bears honey-scented, white flowers. An 
excellent kind for edgings to beds and borders. Sow thinly in 
March where required to flower. It will grow in any ordinary 
soil or sunny position. A. maritimum nanum (“Little Gem”) 
is a dwarf variety of the preceding, growing 6in. high and 
bearing white flowers. Useful for dwarf edgings to borders or 
carpet beds. Sow where required to grow in March, or in 
boxes in a cold frame in April, transplant when large enough 
