274 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 14, 1892. 
majority of the blooms are white, whilst here and there a crimson 
Camellia is intermingled with them. 
The entrance to the chancel is marked by a beautiful group 
tastefully arranged round the lectern ; then we come to the altar, 
where the artist has excelled himself. It is not “literally 
smothered ” with blossom.s, as I once heard a person remark of a 
pulpit. In direct opposition to this, it is beautifully natural; every 
dower and leaf on and around the altar has its work to do, and does 
it to perfection. Those two large specimen Azaleas, placed one on 
each side of the table, have been specially grown for the purpose, 
and truly resplendent they look in their snowy mantles. Lesser 
plants complete the group and hide the pots. The Daffodil used 
so largely in most churches is nearly absent here. The Lenten 
Lily, like the Lenten season, gives place to Easter whiteness. The 
window-sills have been covered with fresh green moss, upon which 
are laid bunches of Violets and Primroses, woven into Easter texts 
by busy fingers. 
The font, which had escaped our notice when we entered, 
claims us now. A four-footed cross is fixed athwart the basin. It 
is composed almost; entirely of white Camellias. I say “ almost,” 
for in the centre are some red and white streaked ones, intended to 
have a meaning doubtless. The whole is topped by an ingeniously 
constructed crown, showing that it was attainable only through the 
cross. The font is surrounded by a carpet of moss, out of which 
modest Daisies peep, adding materially to the artistic effect of the 
whole. There is no stiffness, no undue crowding, no indiscriminate 
mixture of colour in the whole church. In fact, Nature reigns 
completely. The cut blooms are all in water, zinc tins with a flat 
side having been purposely constructed, so as to be easily tied to 
their support.— William Clayton, Hessle, East YorJcs. 
FACTS ABOUT GRAVEL WALKS. 
Mk. Donkin, in defending his practice of turning gravel walks, 
need scarcely have reminded me of “ facts ” neither of which I had for¬ 
gotten or overlooked. My “ literary smartness” is limited to a simple con¬ 
demnation of what I consider a bad practice. In doing so it cannot be 
said that any endeavour was made to teach your able correspondent or 
your readers that true economy consisted in placing either bad or 
expensive gravel upon walks that do not require it. Mr. Dunkin may 
therefore be said to have knocked down a “ man of straw ” of his own 
setting up. My contention is, that in such cases true economy lies in— 
by the use of weed-killers—leaving well alone. All that such a walk 
requires in spring (and I venture to say that 90 per cent, of gardeners 
will agree with me) is to have the edges squared up, any irregularities 
that may have been caused by heavy rains made good, a good dressing 
of weed-killer applied, and in a fortnight after, when quite dry, the 
moss and dead weeds may be dislodged with the back of a rake and 
swept up. If this is done the walk will look quite fresh enough to 
satisfy most people, will be more agreeable to walk upon, and better fitted 
to resist the action of May rains than those that have been turned, how¬ 
ever well they may have been rolled down again. It would be interesting 
to know how many tons of stones are grubbed from the bottoms of walks 
when such a practice is followed extensively. However much 1 esteem 
Mr. Dunkin’s writings in general, I do not agree with him here ; and if 
he really believes that there is no risk in bringing a fresh crop of weeds 
to the surface, he has more faith in his practice than I have, and many 
more experienced gardeners.—K. I. 
HOLLYHOCKS. 
Whilst it is easy enough to assert that the Hollyhock di.sease is 
largely due to the weakening of the constitutions of the plants through 
hard cutting propagation, it is none the less very difficult to prove. I 
have seen plants raised from seed saved from other plants which have 
never been grown under glass literally decimated by the fungus. On 
the other hand, I have seen plants only a very short distance away 
blooming finely and absolutely free from the fungus. I fear we shall 
never be entirely free from this troublesome pest; certainly whilst it is 
with us we must not hope to see Hollyhocks occupying the same 
important position in gardens, much less on show tables, that they did 
twenty years since. 
The Hollyhock fungus seems to be almost impervious to ordinary 
forms of treatment. It is of a hard scale-like nature, spreading upwards 
from the soil, where doubtless it hybernates during the winter, and it is 
folly to plant clean plants whether from cuttings or seed in soil impreg¬ 
nated with the fungus spores. It is very doubtful whether it is of mu^h 
vj same garden anywhere, but if so the plants 
should be from seed and from a stout clean strain. It is possible that 
the spores may be transmitted on or through the seed, and thus the 
pro^ny be affected. It can hardly be said that any timely application 
has been devised which will kill the disease without also destroying the 
plants ; indeed, the usual advice given to destroy the infected plants 
by burning is pretty conclusive proof were any needed that even 
scientists seem unable to devise any remedy. We have done the most to 
TOunteract the effects of the Potato fungus through raising varieties of 
Potatoes so robust that the disease seems incapable of doing them 
serious harm. Possibly it may be practicable eventually to obtain a 
race of Hollyhocks which will withstand the attacks of the fungus 
peculiar to the plant presently. But then in relation to the Potato it 
was proved that just in proportion to the production of high quality in 
the tubers so were the plants more amenable to disease. So has it been 
found in relation to the Hollyhock that very fine quality of the flowers, 
good form, and exceeding doubleness seemed to have tended to produce 
plant weakness. We may get very robust growth in the single or semi¬ 
double varieties, but such varieties are not wanted, at least by those who 
wish to exhibit Hollyhocks, and we do not want to have to go over again 
the ground travelled by the old florists, who out of these poor materials 
produced such grand double forms as were so plentiful a generation 
since. 
One hardy flower, so far, I believe, yet exempt from any particular 
enemy, the Delphinium, has become an admirable substitute for the 
Hollyhock. It is easily raised from seed and thrives well in almost any 
soil. It is not appreciably affected by insects, and continues to develop 
in strength for several years. The spikes become long, the stems tall, 
and the general effect of a number of plants is noble. Of course there is 
much limitation in colour, but at least Delphiniums may be grown finely 
by anyone with comparative ease. With hardy plants of this descrip¬ 
tion it is no matter for surprise if with all its troubles and diflBculties of 
culture Hollyhocks should fall into disfavour, not that there is any 
lack of love for them when in good form, but repeated failures through 
the attacking of the fungus so dishearten growers that it is no wonder 
the cultivation of other plants is reverted to. Should ever the Holly¬ 
hock fungus disappear, a doubtful event, we may then hope to see our 
favourites as beautiful as ever they were.—A. D. 
Sickly Cattleyas. 
All Orchids are very tenacious of life, and will continue to 
linger on between life and death for years. It often happens that 
plants which have become sickly have to be dealt with. If plants 
in this condition are overhauled at once and receive proper treat¬ 
ment they may be restored to health in perhaps a season. If they 
are neglected too long, or badly treated, recovery may be rendered 
impossible. When plants have been placed in large pans and 
allowed to remain in them for some years they are very liable to 
produce weaker pseudo-bulbs, and assume a sickly yellow appear¬ 
ance. Such results are due in most instances to too much water, 
and a thoroughly decomposed condition of the material about the 
roota. The plants must not have water stagnating about their 
roots, which is the case after the soil becomes decayed. If the 
material about the roots is kept sweet, and all other conditions are 
favourable, the plants will thrive satisfactorily. 
Large plants that have become sickly, or smaller ones in the 
same condition, should be taken out of the pans. Very rarely are 
the roots in good condition, and therefore we are not particular 
about breaking a few of them. The whole of the material is 
shaken away, and the plants pulled to pieces. Any portions of 
live roots that can be retained are carefully preserved ; if they are 
not healthy they are cut back. We have frequently cut all back, 
and then potted the plants again in smaller pans or pots as the 
case may have demanded. For this first potting the pans or pots 
are as small as possible consistent with the size of the pieces, and 
are nearly filled with crocks. For a time they are treated care¬ 
fully, water being given with care until the plants begin to grow 
and show signs of rooting, when peat in lumps with a few pieces 
of charcoal fill up firmly the remaining portion of the pots. When 
they are rooting fairly well a little sphagnum moss is added. If 
the plants are watered carefully they often make larger pseudo¬ 
bulbs the first season than they made before they were operated 
upon. 
They establish themselves well in baskets, but these are diffi¬ 
cult to place in pans afterwards. On blocks they soon become 
established, but we do not follow the orthodox method of blocking 
these plants, because they are difficult to place neatly in pots after¬ 
wards. When the object is to place them in pots we cut blocks of 
firm wood (round or square ; if the latter the sharp angles are 
taken off), not exceeding 4 inches in depth. These are well 
charred in a fire, and the plants are secured on the top, so that we 
can place a little material about them when they begin to grow. 
The diameter of the blocks depends upon the size of the plant. 
When blocked after this manner they can be placed into pans as 
readily as if they had been previously growing in pans of a smaller 
size. 
Be’ore breaking up plants they should be kept dry, and have 
