January 15,1801. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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if any subject just now is meriting so much public atten¬ 
tion as that which heads this article. It is interesting to review 
the gradual progress of the revival and improvement of the 
Hollyhock. About forty-five years ago the first selection of 
improved and named varieties were introduced to the public by the 
late William Chacer of The Nurseries, Saffron Walden. There 
were very few growers of the Hollyhock at that time. Mr. 
Charles Barron, also of Saffron Walden, had a passion for the 
flower, and by following a course of culture dictated by his own 
observation and experience originated those flowers which laid the 
foundation for other cultivators to work upon. From 1846 to 1874, 
a period of nearly thirty years, the Hollyhock advanced by leaps 
and bounds until it reached the ideal of perfection, when, un¬ 
fortunately, the darkest cloud in its history appeared in the form 
of a parasitic fungus known to mycologists by the name Puccinia 
malvacearum. In some places the attacks of this fungus were so 
•severe and its ravages so great that the cultivation of Hollyhocks 
was abandoned altogether, and for a period of nearly fifteen years 
the plant has been practically lost to cultivation. There has been, 
however, a little knot of enthusiasts who have stood faithfully by 
the Hollyhock during the term of its eclipse, and now that it is 
•emerging from the darkness they are more enthusiastic than ever. 
These men have not spent all their time in nursing their favourite 
flower. They have been equally busy in raising new and improved 
varieties, and although many of the grand old sorts have been 
destroyed, these later introductions are equally fitted to fill their 
place ; indeed, some of those raised in the north are a great 
advance on anything we have ever seen. But no sooner are we 
raising the Hollyhock to its former popular position than we find 
others ready to throw cold water on the work. 
Of all the florists’ flowers we are acquainted with the Holly¬ 
hock is perhaps the most abused, and I am sorry to record the fact 
that trade growers seem to be the least aware of it. They do not 
seem to take any trouble in their selection. Quantity, not quality^ 
is the ideal. This has led to a great confusion of the sorts in 
cultivation, the majority of which are of no use for exhibition, 
although sent out with a wonderful recommendation. It is with 
the object of raising the Hollyhock to a higher position, and re¬ 
presenting it in its true character, that I have taken in hand an 
election of varieties ; and it is not without much trouble that I am 
able to place before the readers of this Journal a revised list of the 
best exhibition Hollyhocks now in cultivation. I have admitted 
nothing but what can be authenticated by the raiser’s name, and for 
the cordial assistance I have received in getting this information I 
avail myself of this opportunity of tendering my warmest thanks. 
In the returns and lists before me I have over 400 varieties of 
named Hollyhocks, a fact which I daresay will astonish most of 
the growers at the present day, as very few indeed seem to grow 
more than three dozen varieties which are considered by them 
admissible for exhibition. There will be undoubtedly a few more 
good sorts in cultivation which I am not yet acquainted with. 
These will be admitted as soon as they have been proved here. 
The majority of Hollyhocks enumerated in trade lists and sent out 
at the present time are a disgrace to the trade. Where or by whom 
they have been raised it will be difficult to know, as so many of 
them are also under wrong names. It is, however, interesting to 
notice so many of the fine varieties raised by the late Mr. Chater 
still to the front. How these have been preserved it is difficult to 
No. 5.51. — VoL. XXII., Third Series. 
say, while those of equally fine quality, raised by such noted 
growers as Messrs. Paul, Pearson, Bircham, Bragg, Roake, 
Downie & Co., and others have been lost. We have, however, two 
or three of Downie & Co.’s still in cultivation, notably F. G. 
Dougall, one of the very best where the true variety is to be had. 
To place the varieties enumerated in this list in order of merit 
would be invidious on my part. I have therefore placed them in 
position according to the number of votes received ; some of the 
new varieties will undoubtedly take a higher place when more 
largely distributed. 
Grace Darling, which heads the list, is first favourite in nearly 
all the returns, followed closely by Ro’oert Ryle, another grand 
flower, with every good property. John Finlay, sent out last year, 
is already a great favourite, and a decided acquisition. Lord Decies, 
a seedling from Sanspareil, is of equally fine form and distinct in 
colour. Maggie Bain is a magnificent variety, a colour by itself, so 
to speak, of a most pleasing shade. Of pure whites we have no 
advance on Alba Superba, and for a bright yellow we have seen 
nothing to equal Queen of the Yellows or Golden Drop. The same 
may be said of F. G. Dougall as a purple ; we have as yet nothing 
to take its place. Cheer is a fine variety and distinct in colour, a 
leading characteristic in all Mr. Thompson’s seedlings. Indeed, the 
first three dozen at least are all of the finest quality. To preserve 
these and raise new and improved varieties is a work which I hope 
will be taken up by many who have hitherto been led to look upon 
the Hollyhock as a thing of the past. 
Seedling raising is undoubtedly one of the greatest pleasures in 
floriculture. The daily hope of the unfolding of some inestimable 
gem is always stronger than the constantly recurring disappoint¬ 
ment as some fair bud of more than average promise slowly reveals 
its fault. The Hollyhock, like many other florists’ flowers, is a 
plant that has been taken into high and special cultivation, because 
of the tendency it exhibits to vary from the seed in form, colour, 
size, and habit ; and although it is often asserted that the flowers 
represent themselves true from seed I have never been able to 
verify this assertion. Some trade growers raise a quantity of their 
stock from seed, believing that both colour and form will be 
retained. This has undoubtedly led to so many varieties being 
under wrong names. Last year, for instance, I had seedlings 
from Purple Prince not one having any resemblance to the parent; 
the majority were pure white, blush, &c. I merely mention 
this to show what variety may be expected from the thoughtful 
selection by cultivators out of the countless types and offers of 
variety constantly afforded. The Hollyhock has gradually become 
endowed with nearly every delicate shade and point of beauty which 
it does so richly possess. It may appear ungrateful to assert that 
in connection with colour the florist’s requirements are as yet far 
from being satisfied. It is true that, taken in the aggregate, flowers 
present us with every colour and shade of colour which can be 
found in nature ; but are there not some amongst us who would 
fain discern each and every of these lovely tints exemplified in each 
and every species of flower ? So much has already been achieved 
by industry that we must not fix a limit to the results of zeal, 
patience, and perseverance. 
The nearest approach to scarlet shows at once how much a 
Hollyhock of that colour would be prized. Seed saved from 
flowers of the most advanced properties fertilised with pollen from 
flowers possessing such characteristics as we desire to develop or 
perpetuate is sure to throw out some novelty. I would impress 
upon all, especially amateurs, the necessity of saving their own 
seed. The best flowers are invariably saved from home-saved 
seed. Flowers produced from foreign seed are very coarse and 
thin as a rule. It is from gardeners and amateurs that we have 
got the finest flowers in recent years, and to them we must, I am 
afraid, be still indebted, for very few trade growers indeed seem to 
take an interest in the Hollyhock, at least with the view of 
improving the flower. 
The disease no doubt frightens many from investing in the 
work, but we now have this pest so much in hand that plants 
are grown comparatively free from fungus. Because the fungus 
No. 2207.—VoL. LXXXIV., Old Series. 
